


I Told You So

by Hemosnixuality



Series: Only Human [1]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/F, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2020-04-06 17:35:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 302,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19067383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hemosnixuality/pseuds/Hemosnixuality
Summary: Deception is a cruel web to weave and even the most structured webs can be torn apart in the blink of an eye. Deciding to not be upfront about Thaletas, Kassandra plays a very dangerous game as she pursues a relationship with Kyra. Can she build a house with a broken foundation? Can she build a life based upon secrets?This takes place after the lie option at the end of the storyline.





	1. What's In It For Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!
> 
> I wanted to get a few chapters put away first before I introduced this to you all. Having met my goal, I am excited to bring you this story!
> 
> This is a standalone so you do not need to read my first one (Dangerous And Moving/truth option) to understand what I am doing here. This will be completely different story/plot wise, although I will reuse a few minor original characters with their personalities slightly changed to meet the new needs.
> 
> I am excited to be sharing this with you all and I hope you love it as much as I do. Any comments/kudos are always welcome and encouraged!
> 
> The theme will remain the same as my last story and all chapters will be named after song titles. This time around I am pulling my inspiration from the band Karmin and if you haven't listed to them, you are really missing out.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Karmin - What's In It For Me  
> https://youtu.be/W5zPARLUUXA

"The people are celebrating us."

"They are. But soon, I'll set sail."

"Let the fates come when they may. Tonight, Kassandra, we are together. All of us. One family. One rebellion."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

One family. 

It seems that every family Kassandra finds herself in is just as dysfunctional as the next. This time, however, she was probably was the cause for such the mess. Kassandra wanted to tell Kyra the truth, but now just didn't feel like the right time. There was a party going on and this news could surely wait as it's not like Thaletas was going to reanimate from the dead to rat her out otherwise.

No, tonight was a night to celebrate the freedom that Mykonos had and, more importantly, for Kyra's people to see that she's always had their best interests at heart. 

Wine, food, and merriment were the only things that needed attention right now so Kassandra would happily put the incident she had earlier tonight behind her.

The rebels dance away the night and Kassandra cannot help but notice how Kyra keeps looking at her. Kassandra can't pinpoint why she is, but it unnerves her a bit. She's looking at her in a different way than she has prior, but she can't quite say how it differs. Kassandra has been on the receiving end of many of Kyra's look, but this is definitely new. It's almost like a look of adoration mixed in with something else.

Sure, they've had some fun together and Kassandra really enjoys Kyra, but she's not a one woman kind of gal so it wouldn't work between them anyway. That and the fact that she killed her boyfriend, but that's a problem for future Kassandra, current Kassandra is going to take advantage of the good mood and see what kind of night she can have.

Before she can peruse her potential conquest, Kassandra is pulled aside by Barnabas.

"Kassandra! There you are, you must give a speech!" Barnabas exclaims which is followed by him downing his wine glass.

"A speech?" Kassandra questions as she couldn't remember agreeing to do such a thing. "When did I say I'd do that?"

"Well..." Barnabas trails off, "you didn't, BUT I knew that you wouldn't mind as you have such a way with inspiring the souls of men."

"I think you are only flattering me to have me overlook the fact that you told a bunch of people I'd talk to them" she states plainly, but she knows she can't say no to him.

"Please Kassandra, for me?" Barnabas asks with a small plea and Kassandra knows right there that's she's going to do it. Barnabas has been by her side and has not judged her for the immense amount of questionable decisions she's made so the least she can do is give this speech.

"Fine, but it is only because you said please" Kassandra answers and this earns her a hearty laugh and a strong hand clamping on her shoulder.

"That's my girl!" Barnabas speaks animatedly as he is definitely feeling the effects of the drink. "Come, they're expecting you."

"What? Now? Are you serious? I haven't even had time to prepare anything" Kassandra protests.

"You are the mighty Eagle Bearer! You were born ready" he reassures as he motions for everyone to gather near.

"Everyone, may I have your attention please?" Barnabas calls out to the crowd. "Kassandra has happily obliged to say a few words for us here tonight."

With that said, he looks to Kassandra along with the other forty or so other people that are also here. She really wasn't the best with speeches and just happened to luck out most of the time, but she would make her best attempt. Besides, it's not like she would ever see these people again anyway so even if she bombed it, it wouldn't matter.

That thought alone helps her relax as she didn't realize how nervous she was. She stands on a nearby table to get leverage and so that she could look among the crowd.

"Hear me, for tonight we revel in victory!" Kassandra shouts out and garners a sea of applause in return. "Today we ended an era of cruelty and celebrate for what is to come. No longer will you be oppressed by a ruthless tyrant, but now, you the people will be free!"

The crowd gets rowdy and the men and women cheer to their newfound freedom. Kassandra feels pride at what everyone here has accomplished. They banded together against terrible odds to overcome a rule that was rooted in evil and deception.

"Today we have toppled a corrupt regime and we have sent a message to anyone wishing to rule Mykonos with an iron fist. You are people's now united and the rebellion will always live on inside of you until your parting breath with this world. So tonight, celebrate." Kassandra softens her tone as she takes a more serious tone.

"Never again will you live in fear, never again will you worry if you shall survive the night because of what you believe in. That died tonight with Podarkes" she says morosely.

She stands even taller to exude her trademark confidence as she can tell the crowd is hanging off her every word.

"For tomorrow," she says as she points to the direction of the setting sun, "we begin anew and a new dawn and era will wash upon your shores. Embrace the change and do better. Be better."

Kassandra clenches her hand into a fist and raises it high in the air. "Tomorrow you shall be free people for the first time in your lives, seize the day and make this your own!"

The men and women cheer and chant for Kassandra and they all join her motion and send their fists to the sky.

"Be free!" Kassandra shouts and the crowd continues her chant as she hops down from the table.

A man towards the back of the crowd shouts "let's drink to the Eagle Bearer, to Kyra, and to a free Mykonos!"

Kassandra raises her glass towards the crowd as they all break apart and continue where they left off her speech.

"I have to say, you never cease to impress me" Barnabas chimes in as he makes his way up to Kassandra to embrace her.

"Such powerful words that will echo these walls for centuries to come. Everything they have, they owe to you. You'll be a legend here" Barnabas gloats as the pride he feels for Kassandra is unrivaled.

"What can I say? I just got lucky with that" Kassandra brushes off the compliment and takes a sip of her drink.

"Lucky? My girl, there was no luck in that" he counters. "What you said up there is what you felt and that's not luck."

"Perhaps," Kassandra accepts as she doesn't feel like arguing the point, "but it is over now so we must join in on the fun before all the wine is gone."

"They raided Podarkes' private stash so there is wine aplenty so go, have your fill" Barnabas ushers her forward, but decided to leave her with another parting thought.

"Oh, and Kassandra..." he says as she turns around to face him, "don't do anything I wouldn't do."

He gives her a wink and walks back towards where the food was at while Kassandra chuckles silently to herself. That man could always find the right moment to take a jab at her, but it was always in good fun.

Speaking of good fun, Kassandra can't remember when she last saw Kyra. They had returned together after burning Podarkes' body, but she hasn't seen her since and that's almost been an hour at this point.

She had skimmed the crowd for Kyra while giving her speech, but she couldn't see her. Kassandra doubts she would've left the celebration so early so she must have just been preoccupied elsewhere.

As Kassandra makes her way to get more wine, she is greeted by several people, all wishing to shake her hand and applaud her efforts. She takes them in pride, but she knows it's not all because of her. She hopes Kyra is feeling the same kind of adoration.

Kassandra was confident that Kyra would've found a way without her to win, but it would have been much messier and more lives would have been lost. She is glad Barnabas brought this cry for help to her attention as this was probably the first deed she's done in a long time that wasn't for money.

Kyra couldn't offer much of anything as her funds were limited and what she did have, needed to go towards supplies for the rebels. Kassandra will admit she wasn't too keen on this proposition to begin with, but when Kyra tossed a dagger inches from her face, she found herself intrigued. That in itself was worth the poor amount of drachmae she'd receive when this was all over.

There was something different about Kyra from women Kassandra had dealt with in the past. Kyra was undeniably bold and relentless which was refreshing, especially for a woman. Too many felt the need to be meek and mild to please the men around them and Kassandra felt for them. Not living life for yourself was a crime and Kassandra would rather die than be subjected to the rule of a man.

Kyra reminded her a lot of herself actually and Kassandra could respect that. They had both come from hard beginnings and made the most of what they could. They were never satisfied with the hand they were dealt and they fought to get better cards. Kassandra with her nomadic tendencies and constant drive to her to be more while Kyra has her desire to do better for her people and to gain leverage on her life.

Kyra was surely one heck of a woman in many ways. It also didn't hurt that she was also the most gorgeous woman Kassandra had ever laid eyes on and she has seen her fair share of ladies. Kassandra like to think of herself as a connoisseur of women and meeting Kyra was like striking gold. 

She knew she had to have her when they first met. It was going to be strictly physical as that's all Kassandra ever did, but finding out about Thaletas added a unique twist to their relationship. 

Kassandra couldn't care either way if she was spoken for as that's never been a deterrent for her. Maybe it should be, but Kassandra never dabbled too much in the logistics of morals. Her line of work wasn't necessarily for the pure of heart so as long as she didn't get killed, she considered it acceptable to do what she needed to do.

This won her many enemies, but she's still alive and breathing so she's pretty much on top at this point. Kyra, on the other hand, didn't share the same whimsical views. Kyra was a person of morals, justice and fairness. Kassandra was pretty sure she wouldn't have approved of half of what she's done in her life as those three weren't too high up on her list.

Kyra was what a good leader should be and Kassandra hopes that she's the one to take over the reigns now that her father is out of the picture.

To Kassandra's knowledge, only a select group of people knew that he was her father as she made sure she told her in private instead of announcing it to her rebels. There was that random beggar who turned out to be an old caretaker of Kyra's, but other than that, it was just the three of them. 

Kassandra had considered sharing this knowledge with the others in her crew, but she felt it would be unnecessary gossip and she didn't want to risk anyone overhearing them. She respected Kyra too much to cause a friction like that for her.

Kassandra continues with the pleasantries as she tries again to locate Kyra in the crowd, but still with no luck. It's not like she needed to see her, but Kyra's had a rough day and Kassandra just wanted to the right thing. That's all, no other motives whatsoever (at least that's what she's telling herself).

Kassandra is able to find Praxos so she's thinking if anyone knows where she is, he would.

"Praxos, hey!" Kassandra greets with a firm hand shake which Praxos happily offers back.

"Kassandra! That was a good speech, it really encouraged the men" Praxos says as he releases his grip to give her a not-so-gentle punch to the shoulder.

"Thank you Praxos, I hope it helps them with whatever they need as tonight is their night" Kassandra says while trying to not wince from hit she just took. She knows it was meant to be friendly, but he is a big man and can pack a punch. 

"Speaking of encouraging, have you happened to see Kyra anywhere? I was hoping she was going to speak with me" she asks.

"I believe I saw her head inside. I think the festivities were a bit too much for her so she went for some privacy" he answers and Kassandra deflates a little at the tone he took when he mentioned that she wanted to be alone. 

Did that mean for everyone or just everyone that wasn't her? She didn't know, but she wasn't going to bother Praxos anymore as he was loyal to her to a fault and he would defend her without question. Kassandra wondered if he knew about her and Kyra and maybe that's why he's saying this to her. She knew they were both close, but she never thought them close enough to share details like that.

Nevertheless, if Kyra wanted a pity party she would happily allow her to wallow. Kyra would just be another notch in her belt in a couple days so feelings didn't matter anymore with them. She would say this to herself, but even she wasn't too sure if she believed her own words.

Something felt different with Kyra, but Kassandra refused to allow herself to dwell on it. They were two very different people in two very different walks of life so anything between them would only ever be temporary. She knew Kyra would never leave and Kassandra couldn't see herself staying in one place too long. The open sea and adventure were her loves and everything else was just temporary.

That didn't, however, stop her from wanting to have another night or two with Kyra before she goes. Kyra was, by far, the best lover she's ever had and she's not afraid to take charge which can be incredibly sexy. Kyra was pure temptation and Kassandra had indulged once and now she wanted more, at least while she was here. It's not like she had to actually contend with Thaletas anymore, although Kyra didn't know that. She would lay on the charm and Kassandra was confident she would get what she wanted, even if it took some persuading.

With her new game plan in check, she heads into the house to try to locate Kyra.

Kassandra tries to be discreet about what she's about to do and with whom, but most of Kyra's group are all thoroughly drunk now so they probably wouldn't even notice the two of them together. It's not like any of them would really care anyway, except maybe Praxos, but he was busy with a bottle so as long as she avoids him she should be all set.

She takes to going to the outskirts of the house and decides to take the long walk around to the other entrance on the opposite side of the building than crossing through the congestion. It is a beautiful night out and there's a slight glow left from the sun that makes the view something that to rival.

Mykonos was indeed one of the most beautiful island she'd ever encountered and she could see herself spending a little more time here to enjoy the sights before taking off to search for more cult members. There was no true rush as their damage was already done so all Kassandra was doing was weeding them out so that order could be restored yet again.

The cult had been the driving force for just about everything she's been doing for the past several years and this contract for Kyra would probably have to be the first one she's done for a different reason. To Kassandra's knowledge, the cult died with Podarkes so it became newly unsullied by their poisonous ways. She should probably warn Kyra about them and their resiliency as Kyra was smart, no doubt about that, but Kassandra knew how these people thought and operated which was useful.

Kassandra works her way around, taking her time to enjoy the gentle salt breeze from the sea as she approaches from the front entrance. There are some scattered people about, but they were mostly the staff and were too preoccupied to notice her so she quietly made her way upstairs.

Kassandra hadn't spent a whole lot of time in this place so she wasn't sure exactly where Kyra was, but she could fathom a guess as only one door was slightly ajar.

Kassandra walks towards the door with purpose, but as she raises her hand to knock, she hesitates.

She doesn't know why she does as it's not unusual for her to be here, but she just felt like something was different between them now. After everything was done and after what Kassandra did, she'd be lying to herself if she thought she could just ignore this. 

Kassandra can see Kyra leaning out on the balcony, overlooking the festivities. Kassandra can only see her side profile, but she can see a small smile, but it just doesn't quite reach her eyes. She looks lost and sad.

Maybe she thinks she'll feel better if she watches everyone else, but by the look of it, it's not working. Kassandra wonders if she is thinking of Thaletas and his absence. That is a conversation she didn't ever want to have so her fingers were crossed that wasn't it.

Kassandra doesn't realize how long she's just been standing there in the doorframe, but it must've been at least a minute as Kassandra found herself lost in her own mind. 

Kyra was making Kassandra do something she's not done with anyone before. 

Kyra was making her feel.

Kassandra takes a step back and shakes her head like she was just splashed with water. 

Nope. No. Absolutely not. 

She would just move on from this like she has numerous times before and that would be that. Even though Kassandra repeats this over and over in her mind, she finds it harder to believe when she looks at Kyra. Someone so strong, but so vulnerable and all Kassandra wants to do is hold her tight and tell her that it will all be ok.

She won't though as all these new and confusing feelings will only complicate her life and that's not at all what she needs. She needs uncomplicated and unattached.

She wouldn't, however, be opposed to a continuation of their activities only a few nights before. That she could do and maybe once she got it out of her system, everything would bounce back to normal.

"How long are you just going to stand there?" Kyra questions, not looking over.

"Oh, um, I don't know actually" Kassandra says as she offers a small shrug. "I just found myself enjoying the view."

Smooth Kassandra, smooth.

This earns her a genuine smile though as Kyra turns to face her. "Well, aren't you going to come in?" Kyra inquires as she moves back to make space for Kassandra to come stand next to her.

"Yes, yes I would like that" Kassandra answers as she steps through the door, taking care to close it behind her.

Kyra looks back towards her at the motion, but doesn't comment on it as Kassandra settles in beside her.

"How long have you been hiding up here?" Kassandra asks, her head tilted towards Kyra's.

Kyra doesn't look back at her as she answers her. "What makes you think I'm hiding?"

"Well, considering this is the first time I've been able to find you all night may suggest that you came up here almost immediately" Kassandra explains as she, again, looks towards Kyra, but Kyra keeps her focus forward.

"You were looking for me were you?" Kyra asks amusedly.

"I mean, I wasn't actively seeking you out if that's what you mean" Kassandra says a bit defensively.

"Of course, I would never insinuate such a thing. Forgive me" Kyra says with a bit of bite in her tone. 

Kassandra just decides to ignore it as she didn't come all the way here just to argue.

"I was hoping you would be there to help support me with the speech" Kassandra admits. "They're really not my thing and I shouldn't have been the only one giving a pep talk since these are your people."

"I think I've done enough talking for a while as I don't think I have anything inspiring to say anymore, at least not for right now" Kyra confesses, finally looking towards Kassandra.

She can see now that Kyra had been crying which would explain why she didn't want to look at her. She wouldn't press it as she knows in her few moments of weakness that she just wanted to be alone.

"For what it's worth," Kassandra starts, "I think they would listen to anything you had to say and support you no matter what."

Kyra wipes away the few tears that had managed to escape and Kassandra can tell she took a bit of comfort in those words. 

"Perhaps," Kyra begins, "but you had it all handled without me. You seemed like a natural."

"Well I don't want to brag, but I am a woman of many talents" Kassandra says with a flirtatious undertone.

"It was indeed quite the speech you gave misthios, I'm sure you will have your pick of the litter tonight" Kyra says neutrally, void of all emotion as she looks fully at Kassandra for the first time since she got up here.

"Mmm, perhaps, but perhaps that's not what I desire" Kassandra responds back, her eyes not leaving Kyra's.

Kassandra had no shame when it came to wooing women and now was no different. Bold was her style as you win nothing when you bet nothing and she was going to place it all on Kyra for tonight.

Kyra's mouth slightly parted as she ran her tongue across her bottom lip. Kassandra's eyes were glued on the movement and her eyes grew darker and hungrier.

The tension between them was mounting, but neither made a move. Kassandra was all in, but she could tell Kyra was having seconds thoughts.

Thaletas wasn't even alive and he was still blocking her advances. She could let out a frustrated groan, but it wouldn't help her cause out any.

That's why she didn't do love, it could be far too messy for its own good. You had to think of another person the time and it just sounded exhausting. Having to actively care what someone wants just sounds unpleasant at best. It complicates life and she is happy she's never had those feelings before.

Kassandra knew there really was no further threat to her with this, but Kyra still very much believed he was alive and she probably didn't want to start something when he could arrive at any moment.

This would prove to be a bit of a challenge, but Kassandra was feeling extra confident tonight and knew she could get what she wanted with some patience and a little healthy competition to nudge Kyra in her direction once more.

Kassandra knew Kyra wanted this too. Her body told Kassandra everything her mouth wouldn't and Kassandra knew she had her, but she just needed a good pull in the right direction.

Deciding to play it cool, Kassandra sends Kyra a wink before she leans in for a kiss.

Kassandra was pretty sure that Kyra wouldn't have moved if she connected the kiss, but she also thought Kyra's mental battle was not over yet so it would get cut short and Kassandra would have to find someone else to spend the night with and she did not have the fortitude for that.

Hovering right over her lips for a split second, Kassandra then shifts to the left and places a soft and tender kiss on Kyra's cheek. Kassandra keeps her lips there long enough for it to be more than casual before she pulled back and stepped away from Kyra entirely.

"It is clear that you wanted to be alone up here and it was selfish of me to invade on that" Kassandra says as she walks back towards the door. "You should consider mingling though as it's not every day you topple a dictator."

Kassandra doesn't wait for a response as she opens the door and heads back down towards the party.

Now that she knows where Kyra is, she can make sure she's positioned in the right spot for maximum viewing while she "mingles" with the other female rebels.

Was what she was doing a bit much? Sure, but none of these women would even come close to Kyra so there wasn't even much of a competition as all would pale in comparison. She's had to work for women before so, in theory, this should be no different.

She had a fool proof method that hasn't failed her yet as jealousy was the folly of mankind and it continually kept being proved true. Jealousy can make even the palest skin green and create either fools or opportunists. Kassandra liked to think of herself as the latter and has yet to be proven a fool and she was not about to start tonight.

Kassandra settles herself with a hearty glass of wine as she could feel her buzz from earlier wearing off and made for lower level. The men and women were dancing and singing to the music and Kassandra was not one to be left out of a good time.

She grabs a random woman and brings her to the dancing area as they join in motion with the others. She didn't usually dance and didn't know that many steps, but she was feeling determined and carefree so she moved and twirled along to the beat.

Kassandra knew this random woman was into her because, really, who wouldn't be? Kassandra tried to not allow her ego to runaway, but she would slip from time to time as, after all, she was only human.

Kassandra stood for many things and she had a freedom that most only ever dreamed of, man or woman. She had a ship, she had a crew, and she had a special skill set that allowed her to make a decent living. She wanted only for justice, drachmae was just a good bonus.

Kassandra pulls the woman in close after their dance and beings to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. She knows that all she has to do is give her the word and she would not be spending the night alone, but, alas, that was not her goal tonight. 

Kassandra decides she's had enough of this woman and decides to pawn her off on some of her crew nearby. They were discussing past heroics they all got involved in so she chimed in with a quick story of her own so she could quickly excuse herself to head elsewhere.

She notices a couple men speaking with a handful of women so she decides to head over to flex her skills. One of the men gives a dramatic reenactment of their own personal battle with some of Podarkes' men and, while Kassandra knew it was all a lie, the rest seemed to be eating that story up.

"There I was, face to face with this brute who must've been half ox by his size" the man exaggerates. "He challenges me to a battle of strength so I say "it's your funeral" and the two of us grab each other's hands to see who is strong enough to bring the other to their knees."

The man rambles and spews out the most unrealistic events so Kassandra decided to knock him down a peg and she'll be sure to impress the women with her prowess as an added bonus.

"The size of an ox you say?" Kassandra chimes in. "My, that does sound so impressive."

The man never caught on that she was in his little audience so to say he got nervous was an understatement.

"Eagle Bearer!" The man exclaims as he clears his throat. "What an honor to have you here."

"Well, when I got word of your deeds I just knew I had to come over and see it for myself" Kassandra says cheerfully and as unthreatening as possible as she doesn't want him to back out of this.

"Ah, it was nothing" the man suddenly tries to downplay it, but Kassandra was not about to let him slide.

"So humble a man are you for achieving such a feat" she says as she steps closer to him. "Come now, let's show these people what you can do."

"Oh...well...I couldn't" the man stammers out as he tries to backpedal from the comment.

"Nonsense, come, challenge me in arm wrestling and we shall see who walks away victorious" Kassandra challenges as she steps further into his space.

By this time, word had spread fast so their small group turned into a much larger crowd as everyone wants to witness who was stupid enough to challenge Kassandra.

The other man in the group decides to be the referee as they clear space off a table. Kassandra leisurely takes a seat as her opponent begrudgingly takes his. 

A solid wall of people encompasses them as he and Kassandra lock hands. She feels how clammy and sweaty his palm is and she was definitely going to need to wipe her hands off after this one that's for sure.

Kassandra looks up towards the direction of where she left Kyra, but found the balcony empty.

She was mentally kicking herself for not looking to make sure she was even there before she tried to impress her. Oh well, she'd at least get to knock this liar down a peg or two for his grossly fabricated stories.

They referee places his hand over both of theirs and gives them the rules. He looks to both of them who acknowledge it and he counts down.

3, 2, 1....

Now usually Kassandra would just easily sweep him, but she wants to send a message. She doesn't know the man across from her, but he seems rather on the shady side, an opportunist to put it politely. He most likely sat back while everyone else did the dirty work and only stepped in when his safety was almost all but assured. A coward to put it mildly.

No, no. She wasn't just going to win, she was going to annihilate him.

Kassandra allows her hand to slowly drop as she feigns a struggle on her end as she can tell he is already working up a sweat.

The crowd looks on in silence as they don't quite believe what they are watching as it actually looks as though Kassandra is losing.

Kassandra continues the ruse until her hand hovers just slightly above the table. She glances at the man and can see a smug grin take over his features.

"Take it all in you malaka" Kassandra thinks to herself as she can tell he thinks he's won this. She is debating at how long she wants to hover when someone catches her eye.

Kyra.

Kassandra meets her gaze and cannot help but to smile.

"What are you smiling about girl? You're about to lose last I checked" her opponent mocks.

Deciding she wants to see Kyra more than she wants to drag this out, she drops the act immediately. No longer does she appear to be struggling and no longer is her look one of pleasure.

"You know, I thought it would be good fun to just embarrass you, but now that you're talking to me in that manner, I think it's time for a lesson" Kassandra's voice goes cold as she easily lifts their hands to the middle.

"Lying is not inherently bad you see," Kassandra begins with her head slightly tilted to one side, "as I was lying about this being a challenge and nobody was harmed."

"But," Kassandra continues, "lying about your involvement in stabilizing an entire island is not just something small. No, quite the opposite."

Kassandra now forces his hand so it is barely above the table so she can deliver her final verbal blow. "What you did was take credit for actions you did not take to make you look like the hero you are not."

Kassandra tightens her grip and can see the pain radiating across his face as he's trying to not show it, but she can tell it's there.

"You owe everyone here an apology and maybe next time you should try to think for once before boasting about such falsehoods" she says as she slams his hand the rest of the way, claiming the victory.

"I suggest you leave and not come back unless you would like to have a rematch?" Kassandra challenges as she stands up in front of him.

The man says nothing and the crowd remains deathly quiet as he stands up and immediately makes for the exit.

Kassandra turns back to the crowd and starts laughing as she reaches for her wine glass. "To the real heroes here tonight!" Kassandra exclaims and the crowd roars back into swing as if nothing ever happened in the first place.

Kassandra makes light of what just happened and moves on as if it was nothing more than an inconvenience. She makes her way to where she last spotted Kyra, but finds the area lacking her presence.

Kassandra's search is interrupted by one of the more...sultry women of the evening and finds herself backed up against on of the fences.

"What a spectacle you put on Eagle Bearer" the woman croons as she leans into Kassandra's personal space. "I dare say you are not one to be made a fool of."

"I'd dare say you're correct" Kassandra replies, trying to politely have the woman move off from her.

This only spurs the woman to move in closer so they are basically chest to chest and Kassandra isn't usually one to scoff at such an advance, but she has other plans for who she will spend the night with.

"You're so smart and incredibly strong" the woman says as she feels up Kassandra's bare arm. "I wouldn't mind being your next challenge."

Kassandra closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she wants to be polite yet firm, but can already feel the resistance already.

Before Kassandra can respond, she feels the woman moving abruptly away from her. Surprised by the lack of contact, Kassandra opens her eyes to see a very, very angry Kyra in front of her. 

Her eyes raging with a fire Kassandra had never seen before and she couldn't figure out why. Kassandra hadn't even done anything, well, that Kyra knew about anyway, so this seemed like it came from nowhere.

Kyra firmly moves the woman off Kassandra and gives her a once over before addressing her. "You should move along as there are plenty of others ripe for the picking."

It looks like the woman wants to counter this, but the look Kyra gives her makes her think otherwise.

"You're right," the woman concedes, "a pleasure speaking with you Eagle Bearer."

Kassandra only dares to nod as the woman walks out of sight as she can see that Kyra still looks pretty pissed.

"I thought you were in your room for the evening?" Kassandra asks calmly.

"You thought wrong" Kyra snaps back.

Kassandra still isn't sure what's wrong, but she gathers from Kyra's tone it has to do with her.

Kyra grabs her hand and leads her away from the crowd so they can continue their "discussion" undisturbed.

"Can you do nothing with tact Kassandra?" Kyra aggressively questions.

"Tact?" Kassandra scoffs at the insinuation. "What would you even know of tact?"

"Do you just enjoy flaunting yourself in front of me? Flaunting other women in my face? Do you get pleasure from that?" Kyra inquires as she steps closer into Kassandra's space.

"Do you want me to tell you the truth?" Kassandra inquires.

"Yes, always the truth" Kyra says as she meets Kassandra's eyes.

"Yes" Kassandra answers briskly as there's no use in lying about this as it won't much matter anyway in the long run.

"I get incredible enjoyment out of making you want me and the only thing stopping you from having me is you" Kassandra elaborates. 

"Who am I to deny myself carnal pleasures because you feel guilty? What's in it for me if I wait for you?" Kassandra offers up, but this only makes Kyra more upset.

"Oh yes, heaven forbid you have some kind of morals for even a moment" Kyra argues. "You are just so incredibly selfish!"

"Selfish?" Kassandra laughs at the insinuation. "I'm not the one in a relationship Kyra, that one is all on you so maybe you should take a solid look at yourself before you get judgmental about how I live my life."

Kyra is taken back by the harsh (albeit true) accusation and she realizes she doesn't want to have this conversation anymore. It's clear Kassandra wants to argue this point heavily and even though she started this, she was not going to let her ruin what should be a night of celebration.

Kyra knew Kassandra was right. She was with Thaletas and she shouldn't be harping on Kassandra for who she chooses to be with. Kyra has no right, but she can't help it. Kassandra makes her feel in such a way that she never has before. She makes her feel passionate and alive, her touch makes her come alive.

There's not a day that goes by that Kyra doesn't regret being with Thaletas over Kassandra although Kassandra had made it pretty clear it was only casual that she wanted. Kyra didn't buy it and the more time they spent together, the more she knew Kassandra felt the same about her as she did for Kassandra.

She just needed to have Kassandra see that, but right now she wasn't in the mentality to think rationally. She needed to get away from Kassandra and fast, she needed air as it felt like she was suffocating.

"You're right," Kyra concedes, much to Kassandra's surprise, "my apologies, do excuse me" and, with that, Kyra leaves a stunned Kassandra standing alone.

She doesn't spare a look back and decides to make herself scarce for the time being.

She finds Praxos with a handful of her men and they rise to greet her, but she just keeps walking past so Praxos is quick to follow so Kyra stops to turn around.

"It's ok Praxos, I just need to take a walk to clear my head" she reassures him, but he knows her better than that and scoffs at the idea.

"This is one of the biggest days of your life and you think I will let you wander alone?" Praxos rhetorically asks. "I do not think so."

Praxos turns to the men behind him and call them to attention.

"Come men, let's escort our exalted leader for a walk and then we can finish up at the tavern. Sound good?" He asks and Kyra can only smile at him as he truly is her rock. 

"That sounds perfect, thank you Praxos" Kyra says and the group of them wander off into the distance.

Kassandra is left stunned and alone as she watches them walk away.

"Good going Kassandra, you're such a malaka!" She angrily scolds herself at screwing up this evening.

It was not supposed to go this way. At all. It seems she might even have to stay a bit longer than expected. She could just leave, but there would always be a little voice nagging at her for not setting this right. She just needed to get Kyra to not hate her again and then she'd be off.

She had made a fool of herself and her "foolproof" method backfired entirely in her face. Kyra was not the average woman and thus, she couldn't rely on old tricks.

Still ever confident in herself, Kassandra gears up to try to win back favor in a heart she never thought she had.


	2. Puppet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to round two! 
> 
> This chapter is quite lighthearted as I may be a monster (which you'll see soon enough), but I am not that cruel to withhold more fluff and funny moments before diving into angst city. It will be a gradual decent so I hope you enjoy the lighter side of this beautiful pairing.
> 
> Karmin - Puppet  
> https://youtu.be/2FesB2D_Mbw

Kyra wakes up like clockwork at the rise of the sun and winces at its brightness. Gods she had too much to drink last night. Her head is pounding and her stomach feels as though she drank poison. She groans as she sits up and she can feel the room still spinning.

This is precisely why she never went past her limits (and they were quite high) so why did she decide to ignore all her past indiscretions?

Kassandra.

She was mad at Kassandra and was drinking to forget and to numb and it worked, if only for a moment. Kyra remembers everything though and the pain all came flooding back, but it didn't come alone, it brought its friend the hangover.

"Ughhhh" Kyra groans out as she really just wants to go back to bed, but there was much to be done and she needed to be the one to do it.

Her island was more vulnerable now than it ever has been before and, without law, chaos ensues so it was crucial that they figure out a precedence for how everything was going to run and by whom.

She begrudgingly stands and makes her way out onto her balcony for some fresh air. The sun had just risen over the horizon so a beautiful glow of colors illuminated the sky. Orange and pink hues color it like a painting, an original, just for her. Nobody else had this kind of view so she soaked it all in, storing the positive energy that she knows she'll need later.

Kyra looks around and can see bodies littered all over the grounds. Men, women all scattered, passed out from the prior nights activities. Kyra could not recall the last time they had a celebration that could rival this as there was never any celebration under Podarkes. Nothing was light hearted and everything was war and business. It was no way for them to live and it wasn't a way they had to anymore.

Kyra takes a deep breath in an attempt to quell the unease in her stomach that she couldn't blame all on the alcohol. 

She was nervous as most of her life she spent rebelling for a cause and now, now she had nothing to rebel against. Her purpose here was no longer cut and dry and she didn't know how to handle the amount of unknown that fell before her. Sure, this would always be her home and it always would be, but what would a peaceful life even look like?

Kyra can feel her head pounding at all of the overthinking so she makes her way back inside to ready herself for the day ahead. She will dress as she always does, a look that says "I'm ready to fight" as she will not be lulled into a false sense of security. There was still too much unknown and unsaid that she'd prefer to air on the side of caution and dress accordingly.

Kyra and her rebels had taken over the leader house and claimed it as their own so this place was still fairly new to her, but she knew her way around enough to get to where she needed.

As soon as Kyra opened the door, she almost tripped as there was something placed at foot level.

"What in the..." she says, quite irritated at the amount of energy she just had to exert to not face plant on the floor.

Kyra regains her composure as she bends down to see a slightly stepped on bouquet of flowers.

They were beautiful and only a couple were bruised by her foot crushing them. She smells them and they have the most enchanting aroma and they were most definitely freshly picked.

She looks around to try to find a note or something to let her know who sent them, but she doesn't find one.

"Oddly peculiar" Kyra says to herself as she brings them downstairs to the kitchen so she can place them in a proper vase with some water.

"My oh my," Kyra hears a voice say as she enters the kitchen, "it seems someone has an admirer."

"I think you're reading too many of those romance novels Sotiria" Kyra jokes as she finds the vase she was looking for and pours some water into it.

"I'm just saying I know I didn't have some mysterious stranger leave a beautiful bouquet of flowers at my doorstep last night" Sotiria jests as Kyra splashes her with water.

They both erupt into a fit of laughter and Kyra almost forgets she has a hangover....almost.

"Ah, gods, my head is killing me right now" Kyra complains as she places down the vase so she can press on her temples.

Sotiria, wasting no time, hands Kyra a drink.

"Here, drink this, it's an old family recipe" Sotiria offers as Kyra tentatively takes the drink and holds it near her nose.

She gags at the smell and Sotiria cannot help but laugh at her misfortune.

"I never said it smelled or tasted good" she chuckles as she encourages Kyra to take a sip. "Just plug your nose and chug it down, I promise you will feel better within the hour."

Kyra eyes her suspiciously, but Sotiria has never led her astray before so she had no reason to think this as anything but true.

"Ugh, fine, but if I die from this I am going to haunt you so hard" Kyra lightly threatens as she begins to down the monstrosity of a drink.

"I think that'd be alright with me as I quite enjoy your company" Sotiria responds as she watches Kyra grimace through.

The drink was a thick and chunk green mixture and Kyra felt as if she had just up and ate seaweed that had been fermenting in the sun for too long. Drinks were supposed to be liquid, but she could swear there were chunks of something as she found herself chewing to make the bits more tolerable.

It takes about a minute for her to finally finish it, her fingers gripped tightly on her nostrils for dear life. After the final sip, she releases her nose and is overcome with the urge to vomit so she races out the door to vomit all over the side lawn.

Sotiria follows suit and gently pats Kyra's back as the green substance tastes even worse coming back up (which she knows from personal experience).

Once Kyra has emptied the contents on her stomach, she glares angrily over to her friend.

"What. In the fuck. Was in that drink?" Kyra demands an answer in between her labored breathing.

"You don't want to know and that's not even the worst part" Sotiria offers up as there is still one more part she left out.

"What could be worse?" Kyra questions in annoyance.

"The fact that you have to drink another one after as the first one is guaranteed to make you sick" Sotiria offers with sympathy as this drink was by far one of the worst things she's ever tasted in her life.

"Please tell me you're joking...." Kyra pleads as the first (and subsequent second) was bad enough.

Sotiria doesn't answer her with words as she just steps slightly back in the kitchen before she produces a second, yet equally as repulsive beverage.

"Bottoms up" she says to Kyra as she holds out the drink and Kyra looks at her with anger, but she still takes the drink anyway and chugs it all down like before.

Kyra still felt nauseous after finishing it, but she was already feeling better than before so she was able to ride this discomfort out. She thanks Sotiria for her assistance (although the results have yet to be proven) and she brings the vase back upstairs to sit on the desk so it can get sunlight.

She gives one final glance around her newly appropriated room and makes for the front door. She and her group were to meet in the Porphyrion caves as that was still their home base and where they felt the most secure and safe.

The walk isn't far, but she can already observe the change happening to her people. Children were now out and playing in the streets, a sight not seen in many years and it just seemed as if everyone walked a little bit lighter.

She felt pride for the first time since this all took place as she was seeing firsthand the difference of what she did made. She walked a little taller after that as she made her way to her old home as what perfect spot to build anew than from the place where it all began.

She makes her way in and is greeted by familiar faces, but she can't help but notice Thaletas isn't here. 

"Has anyone seen Thaletas today? I haven't seen him since yesterday morning" She asks the group, but none can recall his whereabouts.

Praxos steps up to speak with her, keeping his voice low. "It is possible he's already left as his ship was not docked when I was down there this morning."

"It's not like him to not say goodbye like that" Kyra counters as she hasn't been with him that long, but it just seems out of character.

Praxos just shrugs and it's clear to Kyra that he won't be attending this and maybe the flowers she found this morning were his way of saying goodbye? It's still strange that he didn't leave a note though.

"Where is the Eagle Bearer? I thought she would've jumped at a chance to give direct orders?" Kyra says a but more harshly than she should have, but she was still pretty angry at her from last night.

"I am not sure about her either Kyra. I haven't seen her since the uh...disagreement you both had last night" Praxos quietly mentions as he didn't want to share any personal details as this was not something she'd want public.

Kyra silently thanks Praxos for his discretion and decides that they will progress on without them.

"Alright folks," Kyra speaks in a raised voice, "what have we got? Let's here the ideas and see what we can do"

Kassandra, meanwhile, has opted to spend her day being productive. She had left Kyra the flowers as a peace offering and now she was going to put her muscle and crew to work to show Kyra she can be useful. It was a matter of pride at this point and usually Kassandra didn't care what people thought of her, but she cares deeply of Kyra's opinion (much to her dismay).

She had spoken to Barnabas about her ideas to get back into her good graces and he suggested a more practical approach.

"Fix up the town, show her there's more to you than your charm and good looks" Barnabas suggests and Kassandra is taken back by his boldness.

"Hey, I'll have you know I am well more than just hot hired muscle" Kassandra protests.

"You say that, but yet...." Barnabas trails off as he wants to be truthful to her, but he also doesn't want to be too mean.

"Just say it old man, I can take it" she assures so Barnabas finds the most mixed approach he can to break the news.

"Well, it's just that that's basically all you've ever been to her" Barnabas states and is quick to follow it up with an explanation.

"You can be bold which is something I adore about you Kassandra, but bold with her has only ever been you two arguing or the two of you shacking up on a beach somewhere. Have you even really ever had a real conversation with her that wasn't about all this?" He asks in as non judgmental of a tone possible.

"Of course we've spoken!" Kassandra defensively states. "I am not just a walking piece of meat!"

"I don't mean to offend you Kassandra, you know that, but all I know is what you tell me and it's not been much lately so I don't have much to go on" He apologizes, but Kassandra realizes she over stepped and places a gentle hand on his forearm.

"Barnabas, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that as I did ask for your opinion. Please forgive me" Kassandra asks as she knows she was in the wrong.

"It was already forgiven" he says as he smiles, reaching for her hand with his own to show there was no hard feelings.

"I do still think, however, that you need to show her there is more to you than what I mentioned" Barnabas continues, putting the space back between them.

"Kyra is not your typical woman you can just wink at and have her swooning. You're going to have to break out the big stuff to impress her" Barnabas shares as he knows Kyra has made an impression on her and wants only the best outcome possible.

"I mean, I got her flowers" Kassandra shares and Barnabas laughs at thought.

"Flowers? That's it? No, no my dear girl, that is not going to cut it" he says, still laughing at the thought of Kassandra buying flowers as clearly she cares deeper for this woman than she let's on.

"I don't know what to do here so it seemed like the right thing to do. Isn't that what most people do after a fight?" Kassandra questions as she genuinely thought it would make a difference.

"You do that for people you care about, and I mean really care about. It's not to say friends cannot buy flowers for each other but it usually a sign of love" Barnabas shares and Kassandra can feel her cheeks getting red from the insinuation.

"I do NOT love her, I do not do love" Kassandra scoffs at the idea, but Barnabas already knows. He just has to wait for her to figure it out too.

"What did you write on the note?" Barnabas inquires.

"What note?" Kassandra questions as she didn't leave any note with it, just the flowers.

"You got her flowers, but didn't tell her who they were from?!" Barnabas inquires, completely astonished.

"I just thought she would just know it was from me" Kassandra admits, a bit ashamed as her complete baffling of all this.

"I hate to say this, but she probably thinks they're from Thaletas as I am assuming you've not shared the news with her yet or I don't think we'd be having this discussion right now" Barnabas states as he watches the pieces click in Kassandra's mind.

"Malakas!" Kassandra shouts as she runs her hands down her face. "I am such an idiot."

"No, no, not an idiot," Barnabas assures her, "just new to this and a bit inexperienced. We will think of something."

"I don't know why, but I just need her to like me and I can't tell her now or I'll lose her" Kassandra says defeated as she's backed herself into a corner with this.

"Do you think it really is the best idea to keep this from her?" Barnabas asks as he knows this will only end badly, but he will follow Kassandra's lead anyway.

"Yes. No. I don't know," Kassandra confusedly blurs out. "I have no idea what I'm even doing right now."

"Let's just work on what we can do and then the rest will become more clear" Barnabas reassures as he can tell she's going to get worked up over this.

"What do I even have to offer that would impress her that's not my body?" Kassandra inquires as she truly wants to know as she's got no ideas. 

She thought she did until Barnabas poked holes in just about everything she's done so far so it was probably best to get a second opinion as she couldn't even get flowers right. 

"That's it! Your body!" Barnabas shouts as he has clearly gotten an idea.

"I thought the point was me not using my body like that?" Kassandra asks in confusion.

"Not like that, but you can still put your body to work. You're young and strong and with all the fighting, there must have been some collateral damage right?" He pauses to make sure she is following and he can tell she still is a little lost so he elaborates further.

"You can help rebuild the city Kassandra" he emphasizes as she finally gets what he's saying.

"Barnabas that's genius!" Kassandra praises as she reaches to pull him in for a quick hug.

"If I help out with the city, she will have to take notice" Kassandra says to herself more than anything, but Barnabas is quick to agree.

"The men and I can help you since we go where you go. I'm sure they wouldn't be unhappy settling down here for a quick stint" Barnabas assures her.

"It is settled then, we shall stay for a week or so to help with the rebuilding efforts and then we will take sail for our next adventure" she says.

Deciding now was as good a time as any, she stands and quickly makes her way off the boat and onto the port to begin her efforts.

She wants to keep a low profile as blatantly advertising her help would probably only make it cordial at best between the two of them. Kyra would see it as a power move and while she'd be ultimately grateful for the work, she would know it wasn't because Kassandra wanted to help, but that she wanted the attention. Kassandra needed to do better than that a mind what better way of making an impact than having no warning of it?

Once Kyra saw what work she and the crew put in, she'd have acknowledge her and make amends. She would lay down all the strings for Kyra to follow and pull her along to the outcome she wished her to see. Well, at least she hoped that's what she hoped it all would mean.

Besides, she really could use the physical exertion as it had been a while since she's had to do any hard labor so at least she'd be able to stay in shape which was a win within itself.

Kyra, during this time of Kassandra's dilemma, was plotting out a plan of governance. There was nothing concrete at this point, but they did all agree that they should still keep up a patrol around the city to ensure its safety. It was more to send a message to the people that crime would not be acceptable in any manner still as there was always a few bad eggs that would cause trouble.

They all adjourned and headed on their respective ways. Kyra opted to head into town to talk with the people to see what needs they need to be met and to ensure anyone who needed it that good change was coming.

Kassandra simultaneously made her way into town from the Adrestia and encountered young girls playing ephedrismos so she decides to stop for a spell to watch.

The girls play to their hearts content until one notices Kassandra and then the game abruptly pauses as they all start talking quietly to each other. Kassandra can only hear mumbles, but soon she is approached by one of the girls that looks familiar to her.

"You're the Eagle Bearer aren't you?" The young girl asks softly as if she were shy.

"I am indeed, but you can call me Kassandra" she smiles as she offers out her hand to greet the young girl. "What is your name?"

"Thalia, my name is Thalia" she beams as she shakes Kassandra's hand. "I helped my mater get the flowers for you this morning."

That’s right, Kassandra had gotten the flowers from what must've been her mater's store. Before Kassandra can ask her anything further, the young girl, Thalia, blurts out a request.

"Will you come play with us?" Thalia asks with eagerness plastered on her face.

Kassandra was hesitant to accept as it was a child's game, but Thalia's excitement was enough to win her over and she reminded her a lot of Phoibe.

"I would be honored Thalia, thank you" Kassandra says as she stands herself up to walk over to where the kids are playing.

"No way! It IS her!" One girl exclaims as they all clamored towards her.

"I am Kassandra and my friend Thalia here has invited me to play. Is that alright with all of you?" Kassandra asks and they all immediately turned to Thalia.

"She is your friend?! That is so cool!" Another of the girls says and she can see Thalia beaming with pride at being called her friend.

"Of course you can play!" The group collectively chimes in and Thalia tugs on Kassandra's arm to get her attention.

"We may be friends now, but don't think I will go easy on you. Is that ok?" Thalia whispers her question and Kassandra tries not to smile at the adorableness of this situation. 

She quickly recovers and keeps her face serious and she looks down towards Thalia to reassure her. "I would expect nothing but your best, I can take it."

Kassandra thought she was going to have to go easy on them, but it turns out she's actually not good at this game and is losing badly all on her own.

Kassandra has lost count of how many times she's had to wear the wreath and find that stone while simultaneously giving one of the girls a piggyback. She's lucky at this point that they're so light or she'd probably have a backache by now.

She played probably fifteen or so rounds before she decides to move on, but as she stands from her dramatic collapse to the ground (much to the amusement of the girls) on her final loss, she notices Kyra watching her amusedly with a few other women.

Kassandra quickly hops up and brushes herself off, embarrassed that she was caught playing a children's game. She makes eye contact with Kyra and her look is stern, but her eyes seem softer.

Kassandra doesn't dwell on it as Thalia is quick to chime in on their game.

"I'm sorry I beat you so many times" Thalia offers and apology. "I was trying to lose a few for you, but I didn't do a good enough job of it."

"Ouch" Kassandra says as she mocks being hurt by holding her hands over her heart. "I thought you weren't going to take it easy on me?"

"I felt bad" Thalia shrugged and Kassandra can't even be unhappy about her losing streak.

"Well, I will leave you to win the games in my honor and I will stick to what I do best and defeat evil people for you. How does that sound?" Kassandra offers and Thalia is so overjoyed by this that she throws herself around Kassandra's waist to give her a hug.

"I will make you so proud of me, I promise!" Thalia exclaims as she runs to rejoin her prior group.

Kassandra feels warmed by the interaction and then quickly realizes that Kyra was still very present and still very much looking in her direction.

The women around Kyra seem to be giggling and an amused smirk is plastered on Kyra's own face. Kassandra rubs the back of her neck out of embarrassment and gives a small smile and wave their direction. The women all smile and wave back except for Kyra. She still looks as stoic as ever so Kassandra decides it's best to not approach her and to just go around her.

Kassandra wouldn't even know what to say to her at this point as they left it so tattered the last time they spoke. It was mostly Kassandra's fault for being so rude about everything, but it didn't mean she wasn't right. Still, she could have handled it better, but she would makes amends in time as she had to earn Kyra's respect back first.

Kassandra needed to walk the direction they were standing so she make it a point to walk on the side furthest from Kyra.

As she approaches them, their talks become whispers and she just knows they're discussing her in some manner. As curious as she was, she didn't want to get into it and just gave the women a nod as she walked by them.

She thought she was in the clear until she heard a voice call for her.

"Oh Eagle Bearer, might I trouble you for a moment?" One of the women ask.

Kassandra, back to the women, let's an eye roll happen at the inopportune timing of all of this before she turns around to take the few steps back to the group.

"Ladies," Kassandra acknowledges, "Kyra," she continues without looking directly at her, "how can I be of assistance?"

"I was wondering if I could hire you for a delivery to the northern part of the island" the woman explains and Kassandra already regrets turning around.

"My husband is hunting with my daughter and he needs special medicine, but forgot it. Would you be so kind as to deliver it to them? I can pay you" the woman offers and there is no way she can say no with Kyra right there.

To be honest, she'd have probably not said no anyway as she could always use more drachmae.

"Of course, it would be a pleasure to assist you. Where is the medicine and can you give me a description of your husband and daughter?" Kassandra inquires.

"Nikandros is a little shorter than you and has a scar running down his right eye. He is actually blinded in it, but you'd never know by how he acts" the woman offhandedly comments as she continues on to her daughter. "Phaedra is about your age I'd guess with light hair and a matching scar to my husband's but hers thankfully missed her eye. His was to a hunting gone wrong, hers was from stupidity" she comments as she grabs the medicine from a pocket.

"Right, very well then, I'll just be on my way" Kassandra gives a nod to signify her departure and she resumes her walk at a much faster pace than before. She doesn't want to get roped into anything else.

So much for her getting started tonight on the construction, guess this will have to count as her good deed.

Kassandra makes her way and, by maintaining a steady jog, she's able to reach the northern point in an hour. She needed this time to herself so this was a blessing in disguise and since this area was pretty sparse, it shouldn't take her long at all to find them.

She makes her way to higher ground for a vantage point and is easily able to see two people she's assuming is Nikandros and Phaedra. She hops down and carefully walks over, not wanting to alarm them, but also not wanting to spook any prey they might have found.

Once she sees that they're not actively hunting, she decides to make her presence known.

"Are you two Nikandros and Phaedra?" Kassandra asks.

"Depends on who's asking" the woman who must be Phaedra quips back.

"Hush child, no need to be rude" the woman is scolded by the older man.

"Yes, we are them. What can we do for you?" Nikandros asks.

"Your wife sent me with something for you, she said it was medicine you needed" Kassandra says as she holds out the package.

"Bless her soul, I completely forgot about this" he rambles on about his forgetfulness and Kassandra tries hard to not look disinterested, but thankfully the man walks away.

"You look familiar" Phaedra states to her as she appraises, "do I know you?"

"Probably, but I doubt we've ever met as I'm sure I would remember someone like you" Kassandra says with a wink and Phaedra laughs at the very overt come on.

"I recognize you now, you must be the famed Eagle Bearer" Phaedra comments and Kassandra is surprised at the correct guess.

"How did you know?" Kassandra asks.

"Your bird is making passes above you and has been since you came into our vision. Quite easy to put together from what people have talked about" Phaedra states as it was the most obvious to anyone.

"All good things I hope" Kassandra plays off and she can tell by the slight drop in Phaedra's face that it was not necessarily the case.

"I wouldn't say it is bad per say, but you are painted as quite the womanizer" Phaedra responds and Kassandra is quite stunned.

"Really? That's what people say about me? Not my adventures, not my conquests, but who I bed? Really?" Kassandra inquires again with the hopes of a different answer.

"Sorry to say it chief, but I'm afraid not for the most part" Phaedra says a bit more gently this time as she could tell she struck a nerve.

Kassandra feels a little deflated as that is not how she wanted to be remembered. She knew that many people will know her from her adventures, but there seemed to be a trend lately and she couldn't help but want to shake off that image.

"If it is any consolation prize, this is a small island so they're going to want to harp on the gossip rather than anything heroic" Phaedra shares to try to cheer Kassandra up.

"That doesn't make me feel any better" Kassandra grumbles and Phaedra cannot help but to be amused at this sight.

"Who would've thought the mighty Eagle Bearer would get so upset by finding out word travels that she gets around" she says with a laugh, but Kassandra isn't amused in the slightest.

"Well this has been an enlightening talk, but I'm definitely going to go now. Good luck with the hunt" Kassandra offers in her parting as she turns and begins her long jog back.

She can hear Phaedra calling put for her to wait, but she's not in the mood for anymore jests at her expense so she runs just a bit faster and keeps up the pace. 

Kassandra can feel herself getting angrier by all this and she runs even faster. By the time she's hit the city limits, she'd taken only a fraction of the hour to return although she was winded. 

Thankfully the woman was there still and so, surprisingly, was Kyra. She had spotted them before they saw her so she ducked into an alley to try to get her breathing regular as she didn't want them to know how winded she truly was. 

After several deep breaths, she felt confident that nobody could tell she just sprinted across the island so she makes her way back to the group.

Kassandra clears her throat as she gets closer to announce her arrival and all look up at her presence.

"I just wanted to inform you that the medicine has been delivered and your husband wanted me to relay that you are a blessing" Kassandra quotes as the woman places her hand over her heart.

"Forty years together and he still can make me swoon" she shares as the women collective talk about their spouses. 

Kassandra had been avoiding Kyra during their interactions today, but she couldn't help but glance her way on this topic.

Kyra met her eye contact, but gave nothing of what she was feeling away. She still remained a mystery and Kassandra knew she still had to put the work in, but she still couldn't divert her eyes now that she'd looked.

It wasn't until Kassandra felt something touch her hand that she snapped out of her trance like gaze and saw a small drachmae coin pouch.

"It's not much as with the house repairs that we need it's tapped into our savings, but a deal is a deal" the woman offers her the pouch with a smile.

Kassandra decides to do something unthinkable as a misthios and declines the drachmae.

"Thank you for this, but I need no payment for this. It was my pleasure" Kassandra lies as it had been anything but, however, she didn't need to know this.

"Oh dear, please I insist a good job doesn't go unpaid" the woman tries again to give her the money, but she still declines it.

"I appreciate this, but you need this more than I do so my payment is knowing you will have a roof over your head when this is all settled" Kassandra smiles sweetly and the woman seems to be a bit beside herself.

"You are a gift from the gods to this poor woman and I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and generosity" the woman says as she stands up and embraces Kassandra in a tight hug.

Her displeasure of being touch is etched on her face and she gives a little pat to the woman to try to speed things along.

The hug didn't last more than ten seconds, but for someone who doesn't usually like to be touched, it's practically an eternity.

Kassandra decides it is time to leave, but before she can say her goodbyes, the clouds open up and it begins to downpour. 

This usually wasn't a big deal, but the storms have been rather harsh lately around this area as Kassandra was on Paros before she arrived here and the water were choppy to put it mildly.

The women all scatter to grab their children and rush to their horses which left both her and Kyra standing together, all alone. 

Kyra begins to jog the direction of her new home, but Kassandra just stands there and let's the rain soak her. She effectively has nowhere quick to go as the Adrestia is all the way across town and she would rather not be on a boat at the mercy of the sea. She was stuck to weather this out or find solace at the nearest temple or public building, all a decent walk away.

"Are you seriously just going to stand there?" Kyra shouts over the howl of the rain and wind.

Kassandra just kind of shrugs and Kyra let's a barely audible groan out before she motions for Kassandra to follow her.

Kassandra takes the hint and the two of them make their way back to Kyra's. Both completely drenched by the rain, they were soaked from head to toe as the make their way through the front door.

Seems like they weren't the only one's caught outside as there were puddles scattered all over the floor and there were towels draped over almost everyone.

Sotiria is quick to greet them both with towels as she ushers them into the kitchen.

"Here, you both should drink this" Sotiria offers them both a steaming beverage that Kassandra wastes no time drinking it down with steady gulps.

"This anything like the monstrosity you made me drink this morning? With the chunks?" Kyra questions.

Kassandra spits out her sip by hearing the word "drink and chunks" in the same sentence and proceeds to go into a coughing fit trying to downplay the spray of beverage she just launched.

"Oh my, are you ok Kassandra?" Sotiria asks with genuine concern while Kyra chuckles silently to herself at the spectacle.

"Yup..." she is able to mutter in between coughs, "perfectly fine."

"Let me go get you some more since most of this wound up on the floor" Sotiria offers in earnest and Kassandra just wants to bury her head in the sand.

"No, please, there is no need. I am quite fine" Kassandra implores as she wants this entire situation to be over.

"Well ok, but please let me know if you change your mind" Sotiria offers and leaves the two of them be as she makes her way to clean up some of the puddles.

Kassandra sits in silence as she's already done enough speaking to embarrass herself in the past few days that should've taken a lifetime. Instead she decides to find an interesting spot on the floor and begins to count the tiles. It was clear Kyra only spoke to her out of necessity so any casual conversation was probably out the window.

Kassandra begins to fidget with her hands as she's always had a hard time sitting still and there is background noise and movement, but the silence is deafening for anything she cares about. She needed to get out of here.

She would look mad if she were to just walk back out into this and she could get hurt and that would be both reckless and foolish and Kassandra tried to never combine the two. She would need to keep busy.

Kassandra stands from her seat and decides to seek out Sotiria.

"Back so soon? Did you change your mind about the tea?" Sotiria asks while she's soaking up the water from the floors and squeezing it into a bucket.

"No actually, but I was hoping I could help you" Kassandra asks.

This was an odd enough request that Sotiria stops what she's doing to ensure she heard her correctly.

"I beg your pardon, but did you just offer me help with this?" Sotiria asks genuinely.

"Yes, I'd like to help, but I don't know where these things are located to grab my own" Kassandra says as she kneels down beside Sotiria.

"If I may?" Kassandra inquires as she offers out her hand.

Sotiria hands her the sopping wet towel as she stands to gather something for Kassandra. Within a minute she comes back with an armful and the two of them work in silence. This one, was at least tolerable, as she was able to keep busy.

Kyra had exited the kitchen about a half hour after Kassandra left to find her kneeling on the floor, trying to aid in picking up the water.

It seems Kassandra was just full of surprises the past couple days, both good and bad. It seems like Kyra may have misjudged her character.

Kyra was still a bit hot about yesterday, but it was more so do to her own desires than anything Kassandra said. Every word was true and they both knew it, but it didn't mean Kyra wanted to hear it. Now that she knew Thaletas wasn't going to walk in on them, the invitation Kassandra insinuated to her yesterday was even more enticing.

She and Thaletas never set any grounding to what they were and they had never spoken of being exclusive. With his duty to Sparta and his consistent leave of absences, it would make sense that they would not be locked in to anything exclusive, for either of them. Adding to the motion that he just vanished without a word to her makes her believe that what she desires to do may not be such a bad thing after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ephedrismos - 
> 
> A game popular among young girls. In the game, a stone would be placed upright on the ground. Girls would take turns throwing balls or pebbles at the stone from a distance. The loser would have her eyes covered, and had to carry the winner on her back until she found and touched the stone.


	3. I'm Just Sayin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kassandra and Kyra stuck in her home, by themselves, with nobody to bother them. Oh no! Whatever will they do to pass the time.....
> 
> Cute moments? Perhaps. Intimacy? Maybe... 
> 
> Guess you'll just have to read and find out.
> 
> Karmin - I'm Just Sayin'  
> https://youtu.be/pVzfMaSZv6U

The storm showed no sign of letting up so an official invitation from Kyra to all guests were that they were welcome to stay until the storm ends (at it could take a couple days sometimes). There were a few random townsfolk that Kassandra didn't recognize, but she tried to stay to herself for the most part.

Kassandra took solace by the window in the kitchen and she found herself staring out it, daydreaming a good portion of the evening.

With how dark the skies were, she wouldn't know if it were morning or not except for the fact that the animals on the property were like an alarm. Their habits did not falter and she always could rely on them for accuracy and she took their irrational behavior as a sign. They did need to be fed and she was still pretty wet so she may as well be the one that has to go.

She forces open the kitchen door with a bang as the wind slams it into the side of the building. She grabs the bag of their feed and makes her rounds before dragging the leftovers back inside for the morning. She has to use some force, but she's able to close the door and as she brushes herself off she's met by Kyra holding out a dry towel for her.

"You know that's not your responsibility, right?" Kyra asks, but there is no bark to her tone this time around.

Kassandra takes the towel and just shrugs. "Guess I figured it was just as easy for me to do it as I was already wet."

"That was very kind of you, thank you" Kyra offers and Kassandra smiles at the recognition.

"It was no problem" Kassandra offers in response.

Kassandra makes her way back to the chair she had already created a puddle on and plopped herself back on it. She was not about to track water back through this place when she and Sotiria had worked hard to clean it all up.

"I am going to head to bed so have a good night Kassandra" Kyra offers with a warmth she's not felt from her in over a week.

"Good night Kyra, sleep well" Kassandra offers in as warm a tone as she can before Kyra leaves her to head upstairs.

The next two days come and go with nothing spectacular happening. Kyra is beginning to speak to her on a more frequent and casual manner so it's progress. Kassandra is going stir crazy though.

The storm was still in full force on the third day and supplies were being to become limited. Nobody knew this was coming so none if them had time to prepare and restock. There was also more mouths to feed than they're used to as the staff usually go home in the evenings (as they were retained from Podarkes mostly) and there was Kassandra and another two families.

Most everyone just wanted to go home so the two families decided to brave it as they had other people and other responsibilities to tend to. The staff also wished to go home, but most were smaller women who would have a hard time remaining upright so Kassandra offers up her services.

"I can escort you all home if that is what you desire" Kassandra offers to the delight of everyone but Kyra.

Kyra asks her for a private word in her office and as soon as Kyra closes the door, she let's in on her.

"You realize that's mad right? Willingly throwing yourself at the mercy of the gods for an escort?" Kyra shares in hopes of having Kassandra see the err in her way.

"Perhaps, but I know they stand a better chance with me than without me. They want to go home Kyra and I don't blame them" Kassandra counters. "They will go with it without me and I'd prefer to ensure their safety."

"What about your safety Kassandra? You're not expendable so stop acting like it" Kyra blurts out before she can stop herself. 

She didn't mean to say this so openly to Kassandra and there is no way she didn't catch it.

"I'm surprised you even care to be honest" Kassandra says, surprising bother herself and Kyra.

"All you've done is ignore me that past few days and I think you're only talking to me now because you're almost forced to" Kassandra lays it on and the floodgates she's been withholding have opened up.

"So while I appreciate the concern, it isn't necessary as I don't just go launching myself into trouble" Kassandra says sharply as she makes her way past Kyra to open the door.

"I am getting these people home" were her parting words as she closes the door (arguably hard than necessary) and gets the three women remaining of the staff and heads out the door.

Kyra just stands in place, processing everything that was just spoken between the two of them.

How could Kassandra not know she cares? If anything, she cares far too much for someone she shouldn't be. Kassandra's words stung once again, but this time she would do better than just walking away. A part of her thought Kassandra wouldn't even come back. That she'd stay with one of them or head back to the Adrestia since she was already out.

The thought worries her more than she should and yes, it's just a storm, but they were a small island and much damage could be done in a very little time.

Kyra takes to pacing as she feels the minutes tick by. It wasn't until about thirty minutes later that Kyra hears the door fly open from the wind. She thinks it's just wasn't shut properly so when she walks out of her office to close it, she is astonished to find a drenched Kassandra holding a bag tight to her chest.

Kyra is quick to usher her inside as she closes and locks the doors as there is nobody but the two of them now here.

"Sotiria wanted me to bring this back to you so you'd have enough food for a week if need be" Kassandra shares as she offers the bag to Kyra.

Inside it a variety of sustainable foods along with some smoked meats and dried jerky. 

"Well this was indeed kind of her to think of us like that. She is a sweetheart" Kyra praises as Sotiria had been with her from the start and the two of them became wonderful friends over the years.

"Us?" Kassandra questions as she had no intention of staying here any longer. "You must have misheard as I said these were for you, not for me."

"Does this mean you're not staying? Where would you even go?" Kyra inquires as she knows Kassandra only has the Adrestia.

"That's a problem for me to figure out now isn't it?" Kassandra sharply responds back as she reaches for the door, her good mood long gone as it must've drowned in all the rain.

"Kassandra, please..." Kyra pleads as she grabs her hand. Kyra continues speaking when Kassandra doesn't pull away.

"I'm sorry, truly, as I have been very crass with you for no other reason than you pointed out a truth" Kyra keeps her grip firm as she holds onto her tightly. "Please, stay."

Kassandra feels the warmth of her skin and she weighs the words Kyra offered to her.

She really didn't want to go back out into that, but she also couldn't bear to take it just being the two of them with every feeling so tense. It did seem as though Kyra was genuine so, perhaps, she could make amends too?

Kassandra concedes and her hand drops down and settles back at her side as Kyra let's go of her as well.

"Are you hungry?" Kassandra asks, changing the subject.

"Starving actually" Kyra answers, placing a hand over her rumbling stomach.

"Why don't you get some candles lit and I'll get us a good spread together" Kassandra advises as she brings the semi soaked bag into the kitchen.

Most everything was still perfectly fine although she would prefer to not have soggy jerky so she leaves them out to dry. She plates up some finger foods that require no cooking and grabs the last of the bread that's on the counter.

She wasn't sure where Kyra settled, but she heard commotion from upstairs so it was easy to make an assumption.

She heads for Kyra's room to see a sheet spread out over the floor and a pile of cloths, folded neatly on Kyra's desk.

"Those are for you as I've never given it a thought that you've been practically soaked for two days straight and I figured you'd like a change of clothes" Kyra offers as she retrieves the garments and hands them to Kassandra.

"I'm used to it so I guess it didn't phase me much, but thank you" Kassandra lifts the clothes up as to say "thank you".

"They might be a tad small for you though as they were not meant for a woman with such..." Kyra trails off as she looks over Kassandra, "muscular proportions."

Kassandra looks down at herself and can see her point. Since she had removed her armor some time ago (as it would only slow her down), Kassandra could see how the fabric clung to her body, showing off her muscles.

She was very proud of them and she worked hard to stay in the best shape possible. She would swim in the oceans, climb mountains, and race up hills all in the name of a challenge and with challenges, come great rewards. In this case, a body that could rival a rock.

Kassandra responds back to the comment with a devilish smirk and Kyra is quick to blush and turn from her under the guise of privacy, but Kassandra knew better. She would keep this to memory for later.

Kassandra quickly changes and, Kyra was most definitely correct, this was too small. Kassandra assumes this belongs to Kyra (who is much leaner than she is) and she doesn't want to look ungrateful, but she's probably going to end up ripping this before the night is over.

"You can turn around now, I'm no longer naked" Kassandra teases as she can tell Kyra is still flushed from before.

"You were right though," Kassandra admits, "this is just a tad bit on the tight side. Is this yours?"

"No, actually, it was remaining from when we commandeered this place" Kyra comments as she takes a seat on the sheet.

"Good" Kassandra responds as she moves her shoulders forward, causing the back of the garment to rip.

Kassandra moves her arms around to ensure she's got the range and doesn't join Kyra until she's satisfied she could move with ease.

"Much better" Kassandra contends as she joins Kyra on sheet.

They both lay so they are overlooking the balcony and watching the storm. The silence this time is not deafening and they both sit in comfortable tranquility as they eat and take in mother nature.

They both eat until they are full and lay back so they're both sprawled on the floor, side by side, shoulders touching.

"What's the funniest battle you've ever found yourself in?" Kyra breaks the silence as she tilts her head to look at Kassandra.

"Funniest?" Kassandra questions, eyebrow raised as she looks over to Kyra.

Kyra nods and Kassandra knows what it is, but she can already feel the ridicule and teasing she's going to get if she shares it.

"I don't know if I want to tell you," Kassandra answers and notices Kyra pout, "but if I do, you have to promise to never speak of it again."

"Oh gods no," Kyra blurts out as she begins to laugh.

Kassandra can't help but smile in return. It's such a dramatic difference from how they were only an hour to go. They never had the chance to get to know each other and there would be no harm in it Kassandra thinks.

"With an opening like that, I will do nothing but remind you of it" Kyra gleefully teases.

"Wow, you are cold, I feel that in my soul" Kassandra replies, placing her hand over her chest.

"You'd love it" Kyra says back and Kassandra has to agree.

"Fine, but you cannot tell anyone else. Promise" Kassandra requests and Kyra is happy to agree.

"Deal, now spill and this had better be good" Kyra says as she rolls over so she's laying on her side so she can watch.

"So I was on Naxos taking care of a bounty, nothing out of the ordinary. I took care of the man and fulfilled my end of the bargain, easy drachmae right?" Kassandra speaks animatedly about the details and Kyra is entranced, following her every word.

"So I return for the money and am approach by this elderly man and he was telling me he was having a problem with a chicken, but that it isn't an ordinary chicken." Kassandra explains, knowing Kyra will surely have questions as she wouldn't believe this if it didn't happen to her.

"A chicken? As in a poultry bird?" Kyra inquires

Kassandra nods to confirm as farfetched as story was sounding. "Yup and I swear to you that isn't the best part."

"Please continue" Kyra asks as she places her hand on Kassandra forearm.

"I think to myself that this will be easy, but then he tells me the price he is willing to pay and I knew something wasn't right. The man was offering three hundred drachmae to kill this bird" Kassandra shares.

Kyra's eyes go wide at the amount as that's about ten times more than what a bird is even worth. "No, that can't be" Kyra answers, still believing Kassandra misspoke the number.

"Three hundred, I swear it to the gods" Kassandra says as she places a hand to her heart. "I, of course, was just as stunned as you, but the man just said it was worth the high price."

Kassandra decides to lay on her side as well and she props her head up with her hand to get comfortable.

"I go to the area the man describes and sure enough, there stands a lone chicken along the shoreline" Kassandra shares the memory as she moves her free hand animatedly as if helps her tell the story.

"Hindsight, I should've just put arrows into this thing, but instead, I decide to approach it to see what is so special about it" Kassandra reminisces as she can still feel what she's about to share next.

"I am within an arms length away when it turns around, tilts its tiny head at me, and squawks loudly. This bird just launches itself at my face and begins to viciously peck me" Kassandra tells as she points her finger over a little spot on her face for Kyra to see.

"I, having never battled with a chicken before, didn't handle it the best way I probably could have and I immediately tried to claw it free from my face" Kassandra says as she makes a clawing motion down her own face.

"I, finally, get its talons dislodged out of my mouth and am able to toss it a good distance away as I just assumed I caught it off guard and it was defending itself. I was wrong" Kassandra says seriously.

"This spawn of Hades just picks itself back up and runs full speed back at me, as if it was intending to ram me. I had to roll out of the way as it splayed its wings out and tried to get back at my face..." Kassandra recounts every embarrassing detail.

Kyra remains quiet and invested as she follows Kassandra's animated retelling. This was a side of Kassandra she never thought she'd get to see and she's glad the fates decided to force them together to work out their differences.

Kassandra continues telling the story, now on the finale portion.

"....so I had to outsmart it, a BIRD, but I had my dagger in hand and when I knew it was going to jump towards me, I was able to catch it with my spear" Kassandra beams proudly at her well earned win.

"I take that demon back to the man and slam it on his table, do keep in mind that I'm quite scratched up and bleeding at this point, and I just hold out my hand and ask for the drachmae" Kassandra says as she lays back down on her back.

"That has got to be the best story I think I have ever heard in my entire life. Wow" was all Kyra could say as she wanted to laugh at the entirety of it, but Kassandra seemed so proud right now reveling in her victory.

"Victory was sweet, but it cooked over a hot fire for a couple hours? Even sweeter" Kassandra says as she grins, it was a delicious chicken and maybe it was because of how difficult it was.

"I didn't realize I was in the company of a legendary animal slayer. I would have fancied the place up for you" Kyra giggles and Kassandra is quick to grab a pillow from Kyra's bed beside her and launches it at her face.

Kyra wasn't quick enough to dodge it and the force of the throw sends her sprawling backwards, her laughing just intensifies.

Kassandra reaches up for another pillow so Kyra is quick to roll to grab the discarded pillow as the two have a pillow fight.

Laughter fills the air like a melody and it was the sweetest of sounds. Laughter can cure what ails you and can fill an empty spirit until it is overflowing. Or, in this case, it can create a bond between two women who have lived in hard times who finally had a moment of peace.

Kassandra isn't sure who relents first, but they both end up exhausted by the burst of energy.

"What time is it I wonder? I am finding myself quite tired" Kyra inquires.

Kassandra looks outside for a clue but cannot see anything other than dark skies and a sheet of rain.

"It sounds like its time for a nap whatever time of the day it is" Kassandra answers as she takes the pillow and places it behind her head. "That's the beauty of naps, they're accepted at any time of the day."

Kassandra settles down and tries to readjust herself to get more comfortable, but there's only so much you can do when you're on the ground.

Kyra opts to stand up and takes her pillow back to her bed. She places it down and sits on the edge, considering if she should invite Kassandra. It would just be them sleeping, no harm in that right? Friends shared beds with each other all the time, they didn't have to be any different.

"Are you going to come join me or would you prefer the floor?" Kyra asks, trying to downplay her nerves in asking Kassandra up to nap with her.

Kassandra opens up an eye to see Kyra looking down at her so the offer must be legitimate as it looks like she's waiting for an answer so she can settle. Kyra wanted Kassandra to share a bed with her again, but just as friends. She could definitely do that, she could do platonic for now if that's what it took, but she would double check in case Kyra changed her mind.

"I wouldn't want to impose" Kassandra says, looking for any sign of hesitation.

"I would not have offered if I were not willing to accept your company on the chance you said yes" Kyra answers.

"It could just have been to be polite" Kassandra counters.

"Do I strike you as the type to live based off of politeness?" Kyra questions.

"Well, I suppose not now that you put it that way," Kassandra replies as she sits up, "make some space."

Kyra stands and allows Kassandra to slide in first. They've only ever been in this close of quarters once before, but it was clear Kassandra has a preference to where she laid down. When they were together last, she had her back to the water and faced the woods. She always kept an eye on her exits and watched where she could be most vulnerable so it made sense she would want her back against the wall.

Once Kassandra settled, Kyra slid in under the covers and, if she hadn't watched Kassandra get in the bed, she wouldn't have been able to tell there was company at all. 

Kassandra took up as little space as possible and stayed on her side. It felt like a valley between them and Kyra wasn't sure what to do to bridge the gap. She wasn't sure where their line was or even if they had one anymore.

Kyra knew what she wanted to do, but didn't trust herself. She wanted to back up into Kassandra's arm to feel her strong, yet tender embrace. When she was with Kassandra, she felt safer than she's ever been. The night they spent together was the best sleep she's had that she can recall. Not even Thaletas made her feel so at ease.

Kyra decides she's too tired to deal with this and settles down as close to the edge of the bed as possible in the hopes that Kassandra would try to actually get comfortable. Eyes closed, she falls asleep in no time.

Kassandra was now very alert at their proximity as she didn't want to accidentally touch Kyra, but she was starting to get a cramp and would have to move soon.

Gods, why did this feel so awkward all of a sudden? Kassandra has both seen and felt Kyra naked before so her being fully clothed next to her shouldn't be an issue. It was though, it so was.

Kassandra still lays on the bed as close to the wall as possible to leave a healthy and respectable distance between her and Kyra as humanly possible, but her arm was not having it for much longer as she could feel it going numb.

Every so gently does Kassandra shift and settles into a more comfortable position, still being cautious to not touch Kyra.

Kassandra can hear her breathing even out and she knows within five minutes that Kyra had fallen fast asleep. Kassandra let's out a breath as now she can be a little more greedy with space.

She flips so she's laying on her back and stares up at the ceiling. She needed to think about what was happening here and it's a conversation she's been putting off with herself long enough.

Kassandra knew herself better than anyone and it was clear that something was amiss.

She was becoming attached.

Kassandra's whole life revolved around herself and for the fact that she was the only stability she had. With Kyra though, Kassandra felt herself wanting her company more and more. She wanted her opinions, she wanted her thoughts, she just wanted anything to do with her. She found she wanted to be near her and, most surprisingly, she wanted her for more than just the physicality.

Kyra was only supposed to ever be a night of fun, maybe two, but there was not ever to be any emotional connection. The longer she stayed, the less detached she found herself though and it was a new feeling of panic that overtook her.

Her heart and her mind were, for once, not on the same side and it was tremulous at best. Kassandra never has this issue, but she finds herself at odds internally for the first time. 

While Kassandra was lost in her thoughts, Kyra winds up adjusting herself in her sleep so that she is flush up against Kassandra.

Kassandra freezes at this sudden motion and contact. Kassandra can see (and feel) Kyra snuggle into her chest, placing her head tight above her breast. Kyra tightens her grip as she moved an arm across Kassandra's stomach so that the valley became nonexistent and that there was no longer any personal space between them.

This felt so right to Kassandra, Kyra tucked safely in her grasp, so Kassandra knew then what she had to do.

She needed to leave. Immediately.

She could not do whatever this was and, even if she could, she doesn't want to. Her life is full of no attachments and that's how she preferred it. Nobody to go home to, nobody else to have to consider, it was a good life for her and Kyra was ruining everything.

Storm be damned, she needed to get on the Adrestia and set sail for anywhere else but here fast. This was going to hurt, but it was better to do it now than later.

Soon she'd forget all about this and Kyra and it would be like none of it ever happened. She would go through the rest of her life in peace and not give this place another thought. It was the perfect plan.

With a new game plan at hand, Kassandra indulges for the last time and she holds Kyra tight and deeply inhales, capturing the moment in every way she can.

Kassandra holds Kyra close and she wants to tempt this, she wants to give into her impulse, damning the consequences.

With Kyra nestled up on her, Kassandra takes to gently stroking her hand up and down Kyra's arm and placing soft kisses to the top of her head.

Kyra's skin reacts in goosebumps and she stirs at the mixture of touches she's feeling. She's not fully awake, but she's acutely aware to every lingering touch.

This was her chance to either indulge or shut her down as all she'd need to do is roll back over and she's confident Kassandra would cease what she's doing. It's probably what she should do, but it's not what she's going to.

Kassandra can feel that Kyra is awake now so she decides to test the limits as she moves to lightly caressing her face, tracing the outline of her lips.

Kyra shifts herself up so that they are now level and she wills herself to open her eyes.

Kassandra has an unexplainable look about her, but Kyra knows what her intentions are so it's not hard to guess what some of it might mean.

Kassandra keeps her eyes intently on Kyra's as she moves so she is outlining her jaw with her fingertip. 

Kassandra's touch is ghosting Kyra's skin and if Kyra weren't witnessing it for herself, she'd not even notice. There was something so intimate in what was happening between them right now, it was unlike what they had experienced before. It was driving Kyra mad in all the right ways.

Kassandra knew she had Kyra's full attention now so she decides that it is now or never and if she hasn't been pushed away yet, the odds were in her favor.

Kassandra leans forward ever so slowly and pauses when the tips of their noses touch, leaving only a minute space between their lips.

Kyra knows Kassandra is waiting for her to make the move, to show her it is ok. Even though Kassandra could be inconsiderate at times, she would never cross a line like this without consent....and she had it.

Kyra lifts up her own hand and pushes the few straggling hairs from Kassandra's braid back behind her ear and keeps her hand rested on her cheek.

They stay like that for only a few more seconds, but so much passes between them that it feels like an eternity. Words left unsaid pass between them unobstructed and Kyra can feel everything Kassandra is trying to deny. Kyra can feel the love between them and she's scared, but not in the way she should be.

She's not scared of what this could become, but of what it couldn't.

Kyra knew Kassandra better than Kassandra wanted to give her credit for. Kyra didn't get this far in her life on luck and chance. She got this far by paying attention to the smallest of details and keeping them locked away for future reference. Each reaction gets safely locked away until the time is right. Kassandra even had her own space it seemed as Kyra wanted to know anything and everything.

Kassandra was like a dessert, sinfully sweet, but something that should only be savored in moderation or you could get a sugar high. Well, Kyra has that high and now she's just waiting for the inevitable crash to follow. 

Kyra would worry about that later as right now she had a craving and her fix was only a breath away. 

Kyra pulls gently on Kassandra's face and that was all the confirmation she needed as Kassandra's lips met hers in milliseconds.

The kiss wasn't rushed or hurried, but there was a taste of desperation and realization for both of them.

Kassandra realized she was deeper than she ever imagined and Kyra realized that no kiss could ever compare ever again. Both had their own internal struggles, but both were willing to pretend all was well for a little bit longer. 

Kassandra deepens the kiss and rolls so that she is hovering over Kyra.

Kassandra wastes no time in trailing her kisses down Kyra's neck and to her exposed collarbone.

"How much do you love your clothes?" Kassandra asks.

"Clothes are clothes and I have plenty more" Kyra responds with anticipation in her voice as she knows where this is leading.

Kassandra straddles Kyra's hips as she reaches forward and grabs the peplos by the collar and easily rips the fabric in half.

Kyra arches herself at the contact and is reveling in the feeling of warmth of Kassandra in astute contrast to the cool air now hitting her bare chest. 

Kassandra dives forward and kisses every square inch of Kyra's chest, ensuring no part of her feels neglected. Her hands roam freely as she continues to tear the rest of it open as she kisses her way down to Kyra stomach.

Kyra tangles her hands into Kassandra's hair and grips tightly as she knows exactly what she's going to be in for.

Kassandra was on a whole new level and Kyra now knew what it felt like to reach euphoria. Kassandra was masterful and as jealous as it made her to know she wasn't the only woman getting this treatment, she couldn't be that mad with results like that.

Kassandra makes Kyra feel as if she were the water to quench Kassandra's thirst, that she was the oxygen Kassandra needed to breathe. Kassandra made her feel as if her whole body was a temple that was worthy of worship and she indulged in every movement.

Kassandra spared no efforts and it wasn't long before it was all rewarded with interest.

Kyra unfolded and Kassandra kept her steady as the waves flowed through her like the ocean tide, only stopping once Kyra pulled her back up for a kiss.

"Allow me to return the favor" Kyra whispers in a husky voice as she rolls them over so she's sitting on top of Kassandra.

Kassandra takes Kyra in her full form, completely nude, and knows Aphrodite wouldn't even be able to hold a candle to this woman above her. Every bruise on Kyra's body was a story and every scar is a lesson. A lesson Kassandra could find herself wanting to know more about.

"Let me take care of you love" Kyra coos as she takes Kassandra softly in her face, placing a tender kiss to her lips as they both melt at the feel.

Alarms were ringing in Kassandra's mind that she was getting too close and getting too attached. Her heart was no longer her own and that meant only one thing...

She needed to run.


	4. Drifter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise mid week update because I just couldn't wait!
> 
> I didn't technically get as far in the future chapters that I wanted to, but I'm on sort of a workation right now so I'll hopefully be able to give more time to this so I can splurge for everyone.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy it and kudos/comments are always welcomed!
> 
> Karmin - Drifter  
> https://youtu.be/xNEHNUIBpKs

Kyra awoke several hours later with a satisfying stretch. She feels for Kassandra, but is met only with empty space. The sheet is cold where Kassandra once lay so she must've been up for a while now.

What an unexpectedly satisfying evening she's had. She didn't think Kassandra to be so bold after her last dismissal, but she also didn't try to rebuff any of the advancements either. She knows she should feel guilty about this, but she can't find it within herself to be.

Thaletas had basically vanished and it wasn't as if she was in love with him, but he was still a good man. He made sense for her and would be a wonderful husband and father when the time came, but the more time she spent with Kassandra, the less she wanted the "ideal life."

She didn't always want to be fighting to live and survive, but she also couldn't see herself as someone domesticated and that's what someone like Thaletas would want. He had a larger role to carry and with his promotion, he would see battle for as long as it took. She'd probably even end up a widow before long so was this something she wanted to do alone?

Too many uncertainties, all that don't need to be answered now. The only question she needed an answer to was where Kassandra got off too.

Kyra gets herself up out of bed and looks outside. The storm had reduced, but there was still heavy winds with some much lighter rain. Not ideal, but better than it has been and it quelled her worries about flooding as they were an island, sure, but they could only take so much.

She opts to get fully dressed as she didn't want to wander the house naked on the chance anyone other than Kassandra made their way in. Once ready, she heads downstairs to the kitchen to see if maybe Kassandra's having breakfast.

She steps in to find the kitchen empty, but that some food had been made up for her as there was an empty plate near it so Kassandra must've already eaten and didn't want to wake her. 

Something so simple and small, yet it created a large impact on Kyra. Kassandra wasn't one for grandeur or romantic professions, she cared in different ways and that's what made her special.

Kassandra would do small things like making a food plate, small and practical gifts like a new dagger for her protection, etc. It wasn't a traditional love, but Kassandra had a way of surprising her when it mattered.

The place was eerily quiet as she sat and ate her breakfast so there was a good chance Kassandra had gone out. It was a shame as she was hoping for another go around this morning, but there was plenty of time for that and for them so she would just enjoy the now.

Kassandra had never been able to fall asleep after they finished, her mind too busy with everything this meant. Why did she do this? This was clearly not the right decision, and yet, she did it anyway because she knew it wasn't a problem for now. Well, it is the now and she needs to deal with all this.

The weather had improved a bit from what she could tell, enough that Kassandra felt comfortable going out in it without concern of wind throwing objects her direction.

Kassandra maybe stayed for about thirty minutes or so after Kyra had fallen asleep before she got restless. She wanted to just hold Kyra and enjoy the moment, but she refused to allow it as that would only make her goodbye harder than it needed to be.

Carefully, she untangled her limbs from Kyra's and is able to climb over her without disturbing her. She's had enough practice that if it were ever in the Olympics, she's bring home the victory.

Her borrowed clothes were destroyed as she ripped them off herself in the heat of the moment so they were off the table. Her own clothes probably wouldn't be too dry yet, but it would be familiar and comfortable. Dressing promptly, she heads down for some well deserved food as she worked up quite an appetite.

She eats slowly, each bite lingering as she bides her time, thinking of what she needs to do next. She will need to go check on the ship today as if it sustained any damage, she would need to get it repaired and that would just cause her to be stuck here even longer than she wanted to be. The docks would be pretty deserted still so she'd at least be able to work in relative peace so that's where she'll begin.

Finishing her last bite, she looks to see the remainder of their snacks and decides to make Kyra a plate as she's bound to be hungry when she wakes up and it wasn't like Kassandra was going out of her way. No, she just already happened to be in the kitchen with the food so it only made logical sense that she would prepare something for herself and Kyra. Totally rational. Nothing thoughtful here, just practical.

Gods, she's over analyzing food now....she really needed some fresh air and a change of scenery.

Kassandra couldn't stay cooped up in here any longer so she hastily makes her way outside and takes a deep breath. The elements always had a way to ground her to the present as she had to be more aware than usual so it was easy to keep focused.

Her boots already muddied in her first few steps and the splashes as she walked began to cake mud up her legs. Ironic how she'd need a bath when she's literally out in the rain, but mother nature had its ways. 

Hardly anyone is outside (and rightly so) so she's not bothered as she makes her way to her ship. When she gets near enough she can see debris scattered around it, but nothing that appeared to be from the Adrestia, that is, until she got on board. The sails were completely shredded and there would be no salvaging them. Someone clearly didn't tie them down tight enough as both were billowing in shreds in the breeze.

Not the end of the world, but a minor setback that would at least add a day or two to the schedule as she would need to specially order new one's and pay for it to be expedited, but was at the mercy of the weather. Jumping the stairs to the helm, she can see only minor cosmetic damage as there are some nicks on the floorboards, but overall everything seems to be in tact. 

For her final observation, she made her way below deck and is relieved to find she's not standing in puddles of water. Sure, there was some water, but it was courtesy of the wind and not due to a breach in the hull. Some buckets and a little manual labor would get this reduced to nothing in no time. Overall a clean bill of health which was a blessing that had been answered.

Kassandra took her time on the inspection as both a desire for thoroughness and to delay her having to go back to Kyra. She probably could spend the night on the ship, but there isn't much in terms of food as most of her crew had stayed in the tavern and had free lodging due to the aid they gave in freeing the island.

Kassandra takes a seat back up at the helm and lays down in the rain, allowing the sound of the water hitting the ocean ease her mind. Water was a place Kassandra felt at ease and it was pure luck she wound up with Barnabas and inherited a ship and such a good group of men. She's been able to go wherever she wanted on a whim without question. It's a power trip for sure, but it's what she lives for.

Maybe she should go to the tavern? Spend some time with everyone else, but it would probably look bad if she weren't staying with Kyra due to her status. It would be noisy too at the tavern and she had enough of that one a regular day so seeking it out on her free time didn't sound ideal.

No, she had to go back to Kyra eventually, but nothing was forcing her to go back now. Space would help keep her mind off her so Kassandra decided to start shoveling the water from the bottom of the ship.

Kyra stayed in her newly claimed office and spent a good portion of her day there. She made sure she kept the door open so she could hear if Kassandra came back. No, when she came back as she wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye. Would she?

Kyra didn't have a confident answer and it worried her. Kassandra was both easy to read and a mystery at the same time. Kassandra wore her expressions on her face and always had a hard time hiding them if she were caught off guard, but when prepared, she was as collected as ever.

Kyra shakes her head as she cannot be thinking that or else she'll go mad with "what ifs." Instead, she should try to be productive as there are still mounds of documents that need to be sifted through and she saw nobody else jumping at the chance to read these quite dull and uneventful logs. There was the occasional useful but of information, but nothing substantial, at least not yet. 

It is almost dusk now and Kassandra still had not returned. She places her hand on her temple and begins to massage it as the words she's reading are beginning to blend together. That and the stress from the Kassandra situation are enough to make it painful. She needed a break badly.

Her body on hearing the word break reacts with a low growl from her stomach. She had been so wrapped up in everything that she'd forgotten to eat since this morning. There wasn't much, but she needed something to tide her over until tomorrow as it seemed like the storm had just about passed. She also stifles a yawn, having not slept much the night before. As much as she wanted to wait up, she probably shouldn't as it wouldn't do any good.

Kyra eats enough to quiet her stomach, but not enough to make her full. She found she didn't have an appetite for more than the bare minimum. Disheartened, she heads upstairs for an early night. She should be used to disappointment by now, but it doesn't make it sting any less. She undresses to her underwear and settles onto her side of the bed and runs her palm over Kassandra's spot. 

She knows she's being a little irrational, but with Thaletas leaving her so unexpectedly and without notice, she can't help but feel that history is repeating itself. She clamps her eyes, but the tears still flow. Lost in the seas of the unknown, Kyra let's herself be consumed by the tides and, eventually, exhausts herself to the point of sleep.

Kassandra doesn't arrive back until closer to midnight, having decided to stay on the ship for as long as possible. She found things to do to occupy her time as there were a bunch of small fixes that should've been handled long ago, but they've never quite had the time. She was able to clear out the water, patch up the holes, and took a full inventory of everything. A productive day.

She grabbed a set of dry clothes and wrapped them in a fur that would hopefully keep it dry until she got back so she would have something for herself tomorrow. Having accomplished everything she set out to do, she would have to rethink what tomorrow would bring. If the rain stopped, she could always do some construction that she was planning to do to initially impress Kyra, but this time it would be to escape her company.

Kassandra feels ashamed for even thinking these things as it's the exact opposite from what she find she wants. She knows this will be better for the both of them in the long run though. Might as well just make a clean cut of things instead of dragging it out and having it become messy.

Along with the clothes, Kassandra also brings a tad more food as she's not sure how much Kyra consumed today and she knows she personally can eat with the best of them. Stepping back into the rain, she begins a brisk jog back to Kyra's to face the music.

Kassandra takes great care to open the door as quietly as possible, and she succeeds. The only sound the door makes is when it latches shut. Kassandra holds her breath to listen for Kyra, but she finds the entire place still.

"Phew...." Kassandra softly let's out as she did not want to have to deal with that minefield tonight.

She goes to the kitchen with her food and it was as if fate decided she'd been enough of an asshole with her thoughts today because she trips over a bushel of wheat. All that tiptoeing was now for nothing and she could just hear the sounds like explosions all around her. 

A ripple effect would be the best way to define what happened as when Kassandra tripped, this knocked over the cooking pots hanging on the wall with her shoulder. They slam to the ground as she tried (and failed) to catch them, causing her to knee one of the cabinets which, in turn, caused her to hiss loudly at the pain.

In what was actually ten seconds or so, felt like a century to Kassandra. It was as if everything happened in slow motion and she could only watch as it all unfolded in front of her. She slams her hand over her mouth when she realizes how loud she was, but the damage would be done. Her efforts to not wake Kyra failed miserably.

Kassandra waits in the now present silence as she waits to be yelled at or scolded for the noise. 

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds pass and still no hint of movement from above her.

"Hmm" Kassandra mumbles as surely someone as keenly alert as Kyra would've woken up to that, but it was if she were alone. Kassandra makes quick work placing everything back in place except for the cabinet as she created a nice hole in it that would take more time and effort than she wanted to give tonight. Satisfied all was back in place, she quietly makes her way up the stairs.

The only sound was that of her boots on the stone as she made her way to the upstairs hallway. All the doors were closed which wouldn't be unusual for this time of night so maybe Kyra had decided to go out herself or maybe went for some drinks at the tavern if she hadn't announced herself yet.

Kassandra grabs the handle and slowly opens the door, trying to see if she were just sleeping or if she wasn't in. The door opened inward and the bed was on the opposite side of the door so Kassandra wouldn't have a good view of the bed unless she took a step inside as the candlelight was dim and the moon offered minimal reflection.

Kassandra carefully peers in and, in the blink of an eye, is tossed forward onto the ground and can feel a blade pressing into her throat.

"Kyra, it's me! Kassandra!" Kassandra manages to get out and she can feel the blade be withdrawn immediately.

"Gods Kassandra, I almost killed you. What were you thinking?" Kyra scolds as she goes to light more candles to lighten up the room.

"I was seeing if you were here or not as I may have dropped something" Kassandra defends from the floor.

"You made all that noise just by dropping something?!" Kyra skeptically questions.

"Well, to be fair, it was a couple somethings and I accidentally broke a cabinet" Kassandra says as she can see a displeased look on Kyra's face. "I promise I will fix it tomorrow and it will be good as new!"

"Do you think that was what worried me the most?" Kyra genuinely asks, but doesn't wait for Kassandra's response before continuing.

"I thought someone was here to attack me, which is why I stayed so quiet until you came in" Kyra points out, now obviously as Kassandra connects the dots.

It all clicks and Kassandra feels like the biggest malaka for causing her this unnecessary panic because she didn't want to face her. Not only is she now having to face her, but she made it worse by scaring her.

"Kyra, I am so sorry, I did not mean to startle you. I was trying to do just the opposite" Kassandra admits.

"I didn't expect you back after you just left without a word all day so I jumped to the worst case scenario" Kyra confesses as she sits back down on her bed.

"I had some things to take care of and just lost track of time" Kassandra lied as Kyra didn't need to know the real reason why she was gone so long.

"Do you think you could give me a warning next time as a courtesy? Please?" Kyra says and Kassandra can hear the plea in her voice.

"Yes. I should be able to manage that" Kassandra confirms and Kyra feels herself relaxing again.

"You must be exhausted after being out all day, why don't you come to bed?" Kyra suggests and Kassandra can feel herself being placed between a rock and a hard place.

On one hand, she knows she shouldn't as every time she gives into Kyra, the worse this will be. On the other hand, she did just startle her and caused a panic so Kyra would probably feel better with her presence and she did owe her for it from what havoc she just wreaked.

"Ok" was all Kassandra dared say as she began to undress to lay next to her.

"Can you also take care of the candles please?“ Kyra asks as she settles back into bed.

Kassandra doesn't say answer, but snuffs out all remaining candles, sending the room into almost complete darkness. Kassandra was able to make it back to bed without knocking anything else over and she settles down beside Kyra.

She is encompassed by Kyra's body almost immediately as Kyra snuggles into Kassandra's side the moment she settles. Kassandra stills at the contact, but Kyra doesn't seem to notice. It's not as if she wants to react this way, but she needs to start preparing herself for the inevitable. Kyra falls asleep within five minutes as she must've just been awake from the adrenaline alone and Kassandra, again, is left with her thoughts.

Deciding that she's already in too deep, she decides to allow herself the joy of having Kyra in her arms for the last time as, after tonight, she cannot do this again. Kassandra falls asleep soon after, sleeping restfully with Kyra near.

Morning comes too soon and Kassandra wakes to a numb feeling in her right arm. Kassandra cracks open an eye to see Kyra's back as Kyra's body formed nicely into the front of Kassandra's. Kassandra's arm was snaked underneath her, trapped beneath Kyra's body weight as her other arm lay haphazardly across Kyra's exposed stomach. 

Kassandra knows she can't get her arm free without waking Kyra so she decides to gently encourage her to wake up by trailing her fingers over her exposed stomach. Kassandra does a few passes before she gets movement and that is when Kassandra stills her hand and pretends she still asleep. She can feel Kyra adjusting and finds the opportune time to free her arm and roll over. It was still early and Kassandra didn't want to start the day yet.

Kassandra, with her back to Kyra, tries to go back to sleep, but it seems that will not be happening. She can feel Kyra shift to cradle her and she has to fight with herself not to make a sound as Kyra trails her hand over her body. She wants this. She really wants this.

Kassandra clenches her eyes shut as she focuses on anything but what is happening right now when the sound of a door closing startles Kyra's hand away.

"Kyra? Are you awake?" Kassandra can hear what sounds like Sotiria calling up.

Kassandra can hear Kyra let out a huff and she mumbled something under her breath before she responds, but Kassandra couldn't catch what it was.

"Yeah, I'm getting ready so I'll be down in just a moment" she hears Kyra respond.

Kassandra keeps the illusion that she is still asleep while Kyra gets up and gets dressed. Kassandra can hear the door open, but feels movement at her side. Kyra settled back on the bed and Kassandra feels a kiss placed upon her cheek.

"You are a wonder Kassandra, I adore you" Kyra whispers into Kassandra's ear and Kassandra feels another parting kiss before the bed settles and the door closes.

Kassandra opens her eyes the moment the door is closed and lays on her back to stare at the roof. This couldn't happen. Kyra didn't even know what Kassandra was capable of and she sure didn't know what she did to Thaletas or she'd probably never speak to her again. 

Kassandra places both hands over her mouth to muffle her anguish. Kyra didn't deserve all this, but there was no way Kassandra could put it gently. She would have to do something more drastic, something she's not proud of. Kyra didn't deserve to waste her time with someone like herself and Kassandra needed to help her see that.

Kassandra waits for a few minutes before she herself gets dressed and ready. She was originally planning on just leaving for the day, but she needed to fix the cabinet she destroyed. She should just probably renovate the whole thing come to think of it as if it bucked that easily, it probably wasn't stable. She'd make a quick trip to the market since the weather was back to favorable and get her sails worked on and them she'd get some supplies to remodel the kitchen.

She makes her way downstairs and just heads out the door. There will be time for pleasantries later, now she needs to get the sails finished as soon as possible.

The trip to town is brief, but she did get good news about the sails and that the work would begin on the hour so that was one last thing she needed to worry about. She makes her way to the lumberyard and picks up what she thinks she'll need and has a few of the men help her carry it all back. She has them place it outside the kitchen door to save her the trips.

With the heat of the sun back, she needed to lose a layer or two before she overheated. Undressing herself to the bare minimum to be considered decent, she can see the kitchen staff watching her so she offers them a friendly smile and a small wave and can see them giggling as they rush back to their tasks. 

Kassandra knew she was a sight to see and was not modest in the slightest about admitting it, but it always made her feel just a bit better when she was lusted after. An ego boost never hurts and it was a boost to her morale if anything so they can ogle away.

Kassandra makes herself a workbench and begins to work.

Kyra, unaware of any of this, sits in her office reading as usual. She can hear this incessant banging becoming louder and louder and it didn't bother her at first, but as her headache began to creep in, it made it impossible to focus.

"What in the gods is going on?" Kyra groans to herself as she resigns herself to leaving her office to root out the source of the intrusion.

She heads for the kitchen as she could see a bunch of the staff huddled around each other, whispering like children.

"What is going on here? Who is making all that racket?" Kyra shouts to be heard over the noise coming from right outside the window.

"Kassandra's building cabinets as she broke one of them last night" Sotiria answers while still gazing outside. "She's outside making new one's."

Kyra leans to the side and can see the gaping hole in what should have been solid wood. Shoddy workmanship it looks like as that's barely sturdy enough to hold up the countertops. She gentle moves aside her staff who, at the realization Kyra is right there, all jump back to work.

Kyra can see Kassandra out the window, dripping in sweat from the heat as she brushes some stray hairs from her face. Her mouth goes dry at the sight because Kassandra was just barely clothed, her arms, legs, and back were on full display.

It was one thing to see Kassandra in her everyday clothing, but it was always jaw dropping to see just how sculpted she was. Her arms were strong enough that she could probably carry the world like Atlas. Her legs were sturdy enough to climb Mount Olympus and back and her back was as sculpted as if it were made of marble itself. She was a walking work of the gods and she knew it.

Kyra could feel herself becoming flustered and quickly stepped back from the window. If she was on fire from just observing Kassandra, them Kassandra was probably parched and could use some refreshments. She gets a glass and a pitcher of water and makes her way outside. 

Kassandra doesn't notice she has company as she's too focused on the tasks at hand until she hears a throat being cleared behind her. She halts her motion and turns her body around to see Kyra staring at her, arm extended with a water glass.

"I thought you may be thirsty and wanted to come give you this" Kyra offers as she passes over the glass.

Kassandra chugs it down in a couple seconds and Kyra picks up the pitcher from beside her and pours her another glass.

"I thought as much and came prepared" Kyra says with a smile as she shakes the pitcher for emphasis.

"That was considerate of you, thank you" Kassandra replies and turns her body back around to continue working.

"I see there is a hole in my cabinet" Kyra continues, not wanting the conversation to be over already. "How did you manage that?"

Kassandra can feel the embarrassment creeping up as she pauses her work to rub the back of her neck.

"I, uh, may have tripped last night and the counter caught my fall" Kassandra confesses, not wanting to turn around to see Kyra's reaction.

"Are you ok? Were you hurt?" Kyra asks and Kassandra can hear the concern.

"The only damage done was to the cabinet and my pride" Kassandra responds. "Thank you for checking though."

"You know you don't have to do this right? I can have someone patch that" Kyra offers up, but Kassandra scoffs at the idea.

"That whole kitchen is a joke and is just waiting to fall apart. Me hitting it last night was a blessing in disguise. I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did in their current condition" Kassandra lectures and Kyra cannot help but to be amused by her passion.

Kassandra never did anything only halfway. It was either all or nothing and Kyra could respect that and when Kassandra was determined, she did as she pleased.

The day passes in a blur and before they know it, it is well into the evening. Kassandra stayed busy with the kitchen all day and Kyra focused in her office.

Kassandra was pleased with what she accomplished today and all of her cabinets were done and much better than what was before it. Overly pleased at her accomplishments, she beams. It wasn't much, but her skills were not that ranged, but she knew enough to get around. This would be better and safer for everyone.

She had kept idle chit chat with Sotiria all day and found that she really quite enjoyed her company. She was educated which was rare as her father had insisted so her brother would recite to her what he learned in the day and the three of them would have a mini session every evening to ensure she understood. 

Kassandra felt a bit saddened during all her stories with her father and brother as that was the opposite of what she had lived herself. She wouldn't let the sadness show though as that wasn't Sotiria's fault so she smiled and listened.

"There is going to be a celebration here tonight night you know," Sotiria mentions, "you should join us."

"I wouldn't want to impede" Kassandra replies, leaning against the counter

"You? Impeding?" Sotiria scoffs as she laughs. "I dare say everyone already loves you almost as much as they do Kyra."

"Well in that case, I would be delighted to join you all. Thank you" Kassandra responds genuinely. "It will also make for a nice farewell."

"You're leaving? But why?" Sotiria questions.

"I have done my part here and it is time for me to move on. This was never meant to be more than a contract" Kassandra replies with a neutral tone.

"I mean, that makes sense I suppose" Sotiria answers. "I guess you've just been here so long that it's hard to imagine you leaving."

"I know, but it is time as I've got other things I need to take care of so this little vacation I've allowed myself has set me back" Kassandra answers, trying to be detached from the emotional sentiments.

"Does Kyra know you're leaving?" Sotiria inquires.

"No, I haven't said anything to her" Kassandra admits.

"She's really quite fond of you so I think you should tell her sooner than later as I'm sure she will want to make time for you" Sotiria replies, not realizing what was already going on between them.

"I'm sure she won't even notice I'm gone" Kassandra plays off, a blatant lie and she knows it.

"Oh I highly doubt that Kassandra and I think you know it" Sotiria answers and, with that said, she walks out of the kitchen.

Kassandra was apparently wrong, Sotiria knew exactly what was going on and wanted Kassandra to know. Gods, why did this all have to be so complicated?

Kassandra decided to make herself scarce after that and decided to go back to the ship until the party was underway. She would have recanted her acceptance, but that would have just ruffled feathers and she really would miss some of these people that she's grown accustomed to the last few months. She also should have told Kyra about her leaving already, but she was afraid of what that would mean.

Kassandra didn't do fear, but she found herself utterly terrified of what position she was in now. There was so much wrong with everything she's done and what she was going to have to do. Guilt weighed heavy on her.

Her crew had returned for the most part so she spent time catching up with them and advising them to be ready to depart tomorrow as soon as the ship was ready. She wanted to further delays because, after tonight, she wasn't going to be wanted here anymore.

Kassandra makes her way back to the house after a few hours on her ship and arrives to find the party in full swing. As soon as she enters, she's given a drink and a hearty pat on the back.

"The Eagle Bearer has arrived! Now it is a celebration!" The man yells to the room and she's met with cheerful hollers.

This reminds her of their night of celebration when the island became free and, in due time, it would end the same as last time. She needed more to drink though because she's not sure if she could go through with this being sober.

She incorporates herself with Praxos and some of his men as they are retelling some of their best battle stories. It always amazes her at just how many scenarios people walk away from, herself included. Ravenous lion, poisonous snakes, etc., all deadly encounters that were walked away from, mostly without a scratch.

Kassandra finds herself enjoying the comradery and it wasn't until she spotted Kyra that she remembered what she needed to do. Kassandra excuses herself and makes her way to a group of women.

"I wish I would have noticed you all over here earlier. You all are far better company than the men," Kassandra charms as she looks at one of the women, "prettier too."

This earns her a collective giggle from all of them as she takes a seat beside the woman she feels will be the most willing. She's not seen any of them before so they must just be regular townsfolk as she was sure she'd remember the faces otherwise. She may be in a complicated situation, but she wasn't blind.

She joins the general discussion, but finds herself whispering into the ear of the woman she sat next to. She keeps the flirting light until she can tell it is being well received. 

She can tell most of the men are now inebriated and there's no shortage of intimacy from what she can see so it was now or never. She needed to make a move before she lost her nerve.

Kassandra was able to spot Kyra with Praxos and the group she left so she knew Kyra would have a visual for the display she was about to put on.

Here goes nothing.

Kassandra turns to the woman next to her and kisses her. The kiss is returned immediately and she is now at the point of no return. It would only be a matter of time before Kyra saw.

Kyra was having a good night and the celebration was going off splendidly. She had waited a bit before joining, but a night of relaxation and fun was just what she needed.

She mingled with just about everyone, but she had not been able to spot Kassandra yet, but was informed by Praxos that she was indeed present. Kyra didn't want to appear desperate, but she did hope to have a moment or two with Kassandra this evening. She needed to tell her how she was feeling.

Kyra thought she could be casual about all this, but the more time she spent with Kassandra, the more she realized that wasn't the case. She knew Kassandra felt something for her too, even if she tried to pretend she didn't. Kyra was too good at reading people to not see it.

She had decided to find her and tell her tonight as soon as she found her.

"I wonder where Kassandra is at?" Kyra mentions out loud to Praxos.

"Best to not look for her now I think" Praxos answers, confusing Kyra.

"Not look for her? Why do you say that?" Kyra inquires, wondering if he knows something she doesn't.

"No reason" he responds too quickly and now Kyra is very suspicious.

"Praxos, what do you know? Tell me" Kyra orders and Praxos, loyal to a fault, is not one to disobey an order.

He gives her a saddened look as he points behind her. Kyra turns to see what he's talking about when she see it. Sees her. 

Kassandra is feverishly kissing another woman and Kyra can feel her heart shatter and her face sink at the realization.

Praxos places a soft hand on her arm and gives her a soft squeeze and she holds him in place, grabbing at his hand with her own. She needed to keep her composure as, to everyone's knowledge, she was with Thaletas, not Kassandra. She couldn't convey the grief she was feeling or the hurt as she had no right to. 

Praxos knew what was between them as he was her closest confidant so only he knew the gravity of this situation. He was always there for her, in good and bad times, the brother in arms and in life.

Praxos stood still, anchoring Kyra as best he could. They stayed like that for a minute before Kyra finally released her grasp. He could tell she was on the verge of tears, but she would never allow herself to seem weak in front of him or her men. Praxos knew better, but Kyra was steadfast and stubborn so she would just swallow it down like all the hurt she's encountered before.

Kassandra stops with the hope that Kyra saw and thanks the woman for her time before she goes to join another group of the rebels. She can feel eyes burning into her back as she looks towards where Kyra was to find her and Praxos standing there, his eyes an icy glare.

She saw and their eyes connect for a moment.

Kassandra can see the hurt and she can feel her heart clench at the sight. She didn't want to do this to Kyra, but everything happened so fast that it would be easier for Kyra to hate her than for her to love her.

Kyra breaks the eye contact almost immediately, but she doesn't leave Praxos. He remains by her side, clearly supporting her silent struggle. Kassandra was definitely staying alert tonight for concern of her safety as he looked as if he would try to kill her with his bare hands. She wouldn't blame him either, but she couldn't kill them both and rob Kyra of that so it was best if she just avoided him altogether. She still needed to face Kyra though as she had to show that nothing was wrong.

The night comes to a close and everyone heads home, drunk and happy, so all that was left were some of the staff doing the clean up and Kyra. She had retreated to her room so Kassandra takes a deep breath and heads upstairs.

She knocks softly to not alarm her as she opens up the door. She steps into the dimly lit room to find the bed empty. Kassandra looks out towards the balcony and see Kyra sitting down, overlooking the property as it is bathed in the moonlight and the low glow of the torches below.

"Do you ever wonder what your purpose is?" Kyra asks, not turning around.

Kassandra closes the door and steps up until she is just slightly behind Kyra.

"All the time" Kassandra answers.

Kassandra expected yelling and screaming, but not this. She was getting a taste of indifference and that felt even worse. She could feel the disappointment more than anything. Kassandra could deal with angry, but not this.

"I heard you are leaving tomorrow" Kyra says more in a statement than a question.

"I am, yes, my ship will be repaired tomorrow afternoon" Kassandra replies.

"Ok" was all Kassandra got in a response as Kyra stood up and headed towards the bedroom.

Kyra openly changed into her nightgown with Kassandra standing in the balcony archway watching. Kyra sits down on the bed and, for the first time this evening, has the edge to her voice that Kassandra was expecting all along.

"Are you sleeping here or with that woman?" Kyra asks, the tone of agitation subtly there.

Kassandra is surprised by her boldness and finds herself momentarily speechless.

"Here if that isn't an inconvenience" Kassandra answers with some shame as she can see Kyra trying to hold herself together.

"Whatever suits you is fine" Kyra answers as she motions for Kassandra to get into bed.

This was the exact opposite of what she was expecting. She was fully prepared to spend her night on the ship, but this was never something she imagined.

Kassandra strips down into her underwear and slides into bed, Kyra following behind her. Kassandra lay stiffly as she's not sure what to do here. She needs to show that she doesn't care, but every reaction she is getting from Kyra is throwing her off.

Kassandra decides to test the limits and places her hand over Kyra's waist. She can feel Kyra tense up at her touch, but she doesn't move away. She has been destructive enough for one night, she won't try to press for anything more, but she scoots herself until she's pressed to Kyra's back and holds her tightly.

Kyra doesn't sleep much that night as the silent tears flow down her face in Kassandra's embrace. If Kassandra refused to care about her and her feelings, she would not give her the satisfaction of allowing her to see her vulnerable. She would be strong and unwavering as Kassandra would leave. There would be time for her to break down when she was gone.

Kassandra awakes to find an empty bed, the sheets cold. Kyra must've been up fairly early to beat her, but she didn't want to think about it. She needed to say her goodbyes and be off, she was never meant to stay put for anyone. At least that's what she made herself believe.

Kassandra says her goodbyes to all and makes her way to the docks. Kyra had been absent and Kassandra wasn't sure if she was going to reappear before she had to leave. Kassandra wanted to say a final goodbye, but she understood if Kyra didn't want to see her. Maybe it was better that way.

That idea was short lived as she saw Kyra standing on the deck of the Adrestia with Barnabas, both of them laughing.

"Kassandra!" Barnabas greets as Kassandra makes her way to the both of them. "We were just wondering when you were going to show up."

Kassandra looks between the two of them and cannot get a read on Kyra as she looks to be in quite the pleasant mood.

"I suppose I overslept" Kassandra offers up, but it wasn't the afternoon yet so she wasn't sure what she was late for.

"There is good news! Kyra was kind enough to speed up the process on the repairs and had come bearing the men with our sails. The crew have already reattached them so we are good to set sail whenever you are ready" Barnabas exclaims as he smiles and pats her on the shoulder.

"Oh" Kassandra says as she looks up and sees the new sails. She never noticed them before, but she will chalk it up to the surprise of seeing Kyra here.

"You do not sound pleased Kassandra" Kyra points out. "I thought you were so eager to move along?"

Kassandra can feel the underlying meaning, she knows what Kyra means. Kyra knew that Kassandra wanted out and this was her way of gifting it to her. As much as Kassandra yearned for it, now that she had it, she didn't know if she wanted it.

"I was...am...I am" Kassandra corrects herself as she recovers from her slip.

"Wonderful" Kyra excitedly states as she clasps her hands together. "Let me get out of your hair so you can take off. Barnabas, it was a pleasure to speak with you and Kassandra, thank you again for all of your assistance."

Kyra doesn't wait for a response before she hops back onto shore and walks away.

"Barnabas, have the men get ready, I will be right back" she shouts to him as she hops down and heads in the direction Kyra took of in.

It doesn't take her long to find her, but as she gets closer to her, she realizes she had no idea what to say. Every reaction she's getting is her own fault and she has no right to try to drag Kyra back in for a final, passion filled moment together that would only hurt them both.

Kassandra slows to a stop as she comes to the understanding that this is just what it needs to be. She watches as Kyra continues back into town, waiting until she gets out of sight before Kassandra turns back towards her ship.

She would forget all about Kyra and this soon enough. There was nothing the open sea couldn't fix and a whole world for her to explore. Mykonos would become a distant memory in due time.

Kassandra set sail with a heavy heart and, as much as she wants to forget, she hopes that Kyra won't. It was selfish of her to want Kyra to remember her. She knew it would be easier if Kyra forgot all of her and her destructiveness and just moved on with her life. Kassandra would move on too and maybe someday they would meet again.

Kassandra needed to be free and she needed to have space. She needed to leave Mykonos and leave Kyra. It was the right thing to do and she needed to accept that.

If only it were that easy....


	5. Save Me Now (Capricorn)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone! I appreciate you all coming back each and every time, it means the world to me. I hope you love this next installment as much as I loved writing it.
> 
> As always, please comment or give a kudos as those absolutely make my day and I love to hear the feedback from all of you.
> 
> Fun fact about the band I'm using is that their third almost has all of the zodiac signs attached to a song so for all of you Capricorn's out there, this is for you!
> 
> Karmin - Save Me Now (Capricorn)  
> https://youtu.be/jJJI2tOX0jo

(Eleven months later)

Kyra sits in her office with Praxos and one of the Spartan generals she had invited. She had done her best to keep them neutral in this war, but it was becoming clear to her that neutrality would get her killed faster than choosing a side. She was willing to listen to both sides as they requested her allegiance, but she knew the choice she made had to be the right one.

She had taken lead of Mykonos shortly after Kassandra had left and she hasn't looked back. She threw herself into the work and became all the better for it. The heartache for Kassandra had reached deep within her and if she were honest to herself, she still wasn't healed from it. She avoided anyone showing an interest in her as she had no desire to go through any of that again.

She still had no word on Thaletas so she reached out to his commanding officer in Sparta in hopes to locate him, but what she found out was not what she had expected. He had not been seen or heard from since he was on Mykonos so it was easy for Kyra to assume the worst. Thaletas was not a deserter and his military standing was his pride and joy. Something had happened to him and Kyra was determined to find out what. 

As with everything, time was the connecting factor, but she was tired of waiting. She waited for Thaletas, she waited for Kassandra, she waited for everyone. She would hear the occasional gossip about Kassandra from the travelling merchants that would grace her shore on occasion. It sounded as if she was living the life she wanted to live. It hurt Kyra to hear her name so most people close enough to her wouldn't mention it in her presence, but she knew who they would speak of nonetheless.

She felt like a love sick fool for allowing herself to believe she would be the one that made Kassandra change. She knew her reputation and Kassandra made it clear that she was indifferent at the end and, as good as Kyra faked it, she just couldn't let it go. She'd spend most nights thinking about her and she refused to lay on Kassandra's side of the bed. She found herself running her fingers over the empty space, wishing for the past.

Kyra never realized how much she loved Kassandra until she left. She knew she wasn't like everyone else, but it felt as if her heart was stomped on daily and she just didn't feel the same anymore. She still had good days and would laugh and smile with everyone, but when she was left at night with her own thoughts, they always wandered back to her. That night hurt her deeper than she'd ever admit.

Kyra doesn't realize she's checked out of their conversation until Praxos gives her a gentle nudge.

"I'm sorry Darieos, I missed that last part" Kyra apologizes as she missed everything, but figured she could piece it together.

"I was saying that we could provide you with protection in the exchange for access to your quarry" Darieos repeats and Kyra has to think about all this.

"It is not unreasonable, but you do understand that I will need to confer with my people as I must do what is best for them" Kyra offers as she is not ready to make a decision yet.

"I understand, but I do encourage you to do it hastily as we are running out of time to know if you are with us or against us" Darieos responds and Kyra sits up a little straighter.

"Was that a threat?" She questions as Praxos takes a step towards Darieos.

"It is not a threat, but a warning" Darieos coolly replies. "I may like you and respect you, but Sparta will not share my sentiments if an answer isn't given soon. I just don't want you to be unprepared."

Kyra sizes Darieos up and decides he meant no harm by what he said and that he did just want to warn her. She places her hand on Praxos as a sign to stand down and he takes a step back.

"Thank you for the warning Darieos, I will be in touch with you soon. I promise" Kyra says as she reaches out her hand to shake Darieos'.

"I am looking forward to it, until then" Darieos offers a nod and a bow before he escorts himself out.

Once she hears the outer door close, she sinks back into her chair.

"What should I do?" She asks openly, both to Praxos and herself as she can feel the weight of this choice lingering.

"I am sorry for this recommendation, but I think it would be wise in reaching out to an outside source on this who has been to both sides" he offers up as he leans against the wall.

"Why would you be sorry? Who would we be reaching out to?" She asks confused.

"The Eagle Bearer, Kyra" he responds and he can see her wince at the sound of her name.

"You want me to ask Kassandra to help me decide about the fate of my island?" Kyra snaps back, more aggressively than she meant to.

"Think about it Kyra, we both know she's done work for both the Athenians and the Spartans so if anyone knew what they were capable of, it'd be her" he offers rationally. "I don't want to suggest this more than you want to hear it, but I think for the island, you need to at least consider it."

Kyra knows Praxos is just trying to help, but all she can see is red. How dare he even suggest such a thing to her? After all they had been through....it just wasn't right.

"I can't believe you would ask something like that of me. You know I can't do that after what she did to me!" She shouts as she slams her fist down onto her desk.

"I am going for a walk. Alone." Kyra warns as she leaves her office and then the building altogether.

Praxos remains as he knows Kyra just needs to cool off, but he also knows how serious of a position they're in. Kyra would not be pleased with him, but he had to think of the island and put personal discretions aside for the greater good.

He takes a seat at Kyra's desk and begins to write a letter in the hopes that it would find Kassandra before it was too late for them.

He summons a messenger to find her and gives him as much drachmae as he could afford personally. 

"You listen here boy," Praxos says to the young man, "you stop for nothing and nobody until you find the Eagle Bearer and give her this. Is that clear?"

The man nods as Praxos hands him the letter and he takes the opportunity to remind him of the most important part. "You tell nobody, but me what you are doing. This is top secret and a need to know basis. Understood?"

"Yes sir" the man responds and makes for the port immediately to find out where he should start to look.

Kyra would be livid when she discovers this, but she would forgive him eventually. He would try to get her to see reason in hopes of softening the blow if she accepted his proposal. He knew money would talk and that what the man would give her was only a small sample of what she could expect if she agreed to come back to help with their mediation in this matter.

(Two weeks later)

Kassandra was finally finishing up in Athens as she had a lead on some lower ranking cultists before she sets sail to Andros as she found a clue that indicated there was a cult presence there as well. She had made it her mission to find them and exterminate them by any means necessary so she was constantly bouncing from place to place.

Kassandra makes her way back to the ship when she notices a strange man sitting on the deck with Barnabas. He looks slightly familiar, but she cannot say from where. There were too many faces in the world for her to remember everyone. She tentatively climbs aboard and when he notices her, he smiles widely.

"The Eagle Bearer, I have been searching for you" the random man exclaims as she approaches her.

She hovers her hand over her spear, but he stops short of her and pulls out a wrinkled letter and holds it out to her.

"Where did you come from?" Kassandra questions the man as she opens the letter.

"Mykonos" he answers and she pauses for just a split second. The name hitting a sore spot that never has left her mind.

She takes less care in opening it now and begins to read.

"Eagle Bearer,

I know there may have been mixed feelings on your departure, but I would not write this to you if I did not find it of the utmost importance. 

Mykonos is at risk of becoming a casualty of war as our leader, Kyra, has not picked a side and as held out as long as possible to protect our people from more bloodshed. I fear both sides are losing patience though and were are in a poor position to negotiate.

We have no ships for our defenses and our soldiers are limited as we try to regrow our numbers from our last conflict. I write to you to seek out your council on this matter as I know you have first hand experience with both sides and that you, personally, are not allied with either one.

I offer you all the drachmae I have in my possession for you to sit and meet with us to determine our best course of action. If that is not efficient, more can be negotiated on your arrival.

P.S. Kyra is not aware that this message has been sent and had refused to reach out to you so I hope you understand the gravity of this situation that I am willing to break a direct order to not contact you. 

Humbly,

Praxos"

Kassandra looks up, her expression unreadable to Barnabas or the messenger.

"What does it say?" Barnabas asks curiously.

Kassandra ignores him and focuses her attention back on the messenger.

"How long have you been searching for me specifically?" Kassandra asks.

"Today marks two weeks," he answers, "I got stalled on Megaris so I lost a couple days."

"We will escort you as far back as Andros as I have to attend to so I will give you an answer by the time we reach the shore" Kassandra states as she summons Barnabas to follow her to her chamber.

Kassandra throws herself on her bed while Barnabas decides to sit on her clothing chest.

"The letter that bad?" He asks, not wanting to pry.

"No, it's not, but it has the potential to be" she sighs as she hands him the letter.

Barnabas reads it all and brings his hand down over his beard.

"You're not going to pass on this are you?" He questions as Kassandra sits up to look at him.

"I don't know" she answers honestly.

"I know you and Kyra ended things on a sour note, but it sounds serious Kassandra" he responds after having read the message a second time. "Especially if Praxos is writing you as I'm fairly certain he hates you."

"Don't remind me" she retorts as she leans forward to rest her head in her hands.

"Think of it like this," Barnabas begins, "this will probably be the easiest drachmae you've ever made. He only wants your opinion so, in the end, you can say what you want and you will still get paid."

"I suppose you're right," Kassandra concedes, "it would be stupid of me to pass on money like this."

"It also isn't far out of the way and you could probably see what you can find out about the cult as you know you've heard talks of someone on Delos" Barnabas reminds her.

"I will agree to this, but you need to keep the crew ready to leave whenever I am ready" Kassandra requests.

"But of course!" Barnabas assures.

"I still need go to Andros first as I cannot let the cult escape, but that should take only a day or two" Kassandra says and Barnabas agrees.

"I agree, this business on Andros is more important so we can tell the messenger our arrival will be in three days from when we dock to allow them time to relay the message and," Barnabas pauses as he looks directly at Kassandra, "hopefully, prepare Kyra for your arrival."

"I did the right thing Barnabas" Kassandra defends, even if she doesn't believe it herself.

"Kassandra, you know I love you as if you were my own daughter," he smiles and reaches his hand out to pat her leg, "which is why I am going to tell you something."

She's never been lectured by Barnabas before and he seems serious enough that she's just going to remain quiet and listen to what he has to say.

"I believe you did what you thought would be easier for yourself, not necessarily the right thing for either of you" he shares and Kassandra finds it hard to keep quiet, but she manages.

"I believe you think you are a bad person deep down, but if you paid attention to what you do, you will see you are wrong" Barnabas says as he gets up from his chair to sit next to her on the bed.

"You are not the most upstanding citizen and you do some terrible things" he says with a pause so Kassandra decides to chime in.

"Wow, not pulling any punches are we?" Kassandra tries to joke, but his face remains neutral.

"What I was trying to say before I got interrupted," he looks at her and she ducks her chin as if she'd just been caught stealing sweets before supper, "was all of what I said before, but with the additional comment of the fact that it does not define you. We all make choices in life and yours may not always be the best, but they come from the right place. You are not malicious and you try to pretend you don't, but I know that you actually care about people."

"You care for them and it scares you and I believe you push them away before they have the chance to hurt you," he continues, "before they get to close." "Your past does not have to define you Kassandra, don't be afraid to let people in because it could hurt you. It is a long life to live alone."

"Maybe so, but I did what I did and I cannot undo the damage I caused her" Kassandra admits. "I haven't even told her about Thaletas yet."

"I'm not sure you should just yet as it would be too much on her plate to deal with. You need to live with that for a while longer before you tell her the truth" Barnabas suggests.

"You're right," Kassandra agrees, "and that's a secret that should stay buried. It would cause too much friction between us and it won't change the fact that he's still dead and has been for almost a year."

"I will go and tell the messenger your decision" Barnabas offers as he can see how exhausted Kassandra looks, "why don't you get some rest? I will handle everything tonight."

Kassandra smiles at his kind gesture, "thank you Barnabas, for everything."

"Of course, it is what I am here for" he says sweetly as he heads for the door.

Kassandra flops backwards and closes her eyes in an attempt to make sense of everything she's feeling right now.

As much as she tried to kid herself, she missed Kyra immensely. There was something about her that Kassandra couldn't shake off and she found herself thinking of Kyra constantly. She thought distance would help her, but it only made it worse. She would spend her nights alone and sulking or in the beds of random women she'd find to dull the ache. It would work for a little while, but the end result was always the same. Kassandra couldn't forget Kyra and just has adjourned the idea that she would ever know peace again.

Her thoughts heavy, but her exhaustion was overpowering and soon she fell into a deep slumber with the hope of seeing Kyra again in her dreams.

Kyra had spent the past couple weeks researching both sides, but she was growing frustrated at what she was finding. Her sources weren't all credible and most of what she inquired about was blatantly one sided and they didn't even try to hide it. She needed facts, statistics, something concrete.

Mykonos would become the battlefield soon enough, it was inevitable. War was not avoidable, especially when you were only collateral damage. Her islands at least had the advantage of her quarry full of valuable and usable materials. She knew both sides were only playing nice as the first one's to make a move would lose her support and she would ally with the opposing side. 

Podarkes had worked with the Athenians and that wasn't inherently bad, it was just him and his corruption that caused the rift. On the other hand, Spartans were not to be taken lightly and they were an incredibly resourceful group of people. Athens had the land mass advantage, but Sparta had a history of being the underdog and everyone who underestimated them paid for it dearly.

Kyra yells out in frustration and, in one swift motion, brushes a handful of papers off her desk, scattering across the floor.

When she sees the mess, she gets angrier, but she can only blame herself for her recklessness and ill temper. It also doesn't help that she's been thinking of Kassandra almost nonstop since Praxos threw out her name. They left on rocky terms, both pretending they were better than they were. Kyra wasn't a fool and she knew Kassandra better than that. She hadn't so much as glanced at another woman up until that night so something must've happened for her to get spooked.

It didn't matter now as what was done, was done, but she know she could never ask for her help for more than just her pride. Surely there were other options she just hadn't thought of yet.

Kyra decides to retreat to her room and takes a seat on her balcony. She looks over the vast row of trees beyond her and she's able to see a few Ibex walking slowly. This takes her back to her contest with Kassandra and she finds herself daydreaming of their better times.

She looks to her left towards the city when she is struck with an idea. It was a long shot, but she was willing to try almost anything for guidance. She would head to the temple of Artemis and pray for a sign. The worst thing that could happen was that the gods ignored her and the best case scenario is that they gift her with a direction to follow. She hoped they felt merciful.

Kassandra and the crew had made it to Andros and she had sent the messenger away with a letter of her own, confirming her presence in a day or two. It would take him about a day at least a day get back to the island so she wouldn't be far behind him. Better to make the expectation as spot on as possible as an under exaggeration would cause them to believe her as not coming and an over exaggeration would cause them to be underprepared for her arrival.

She's not sure who she's going to walk into so it would be expected that she stay within the main chambers for ease of discussion. She would not have the luxury of Kyra's bed anymore so she would most likely be placed in one of the spare rooms on the upstairs floor. So much formality for what should be a brief stay, but Mykonos has habit of making her "quick trips" into something longer.

Barnabas' earlier suggestion of scoping out Delos wasn't a bad suggestion either. She wasn't sure if it had merit or not, but she'd rather just take a precursory look around to confirm it or not. Perhaps she would stop at Delos first as her arrival would be unexpected and she could catch them off guard if there was anyone. Word would travel fast no matter where she landed so she would make another slight detour first before stopping on Mykonos.

Her target on Andros was a bit more difficult than she imagined and she had a nice new gash across her stomach as a memento. It would leave a scar for sure and was fairly deep. She healed fast, but not fast enough for this not to be noticeable to everyone. This was the price she would pay to not have a full plate of armor anymore. She felt them too restrictive and she wasn't able to move as effectively as she should when she has to wear them. She preferred functionality and it was a wonder she didn't make the switch sooner. Kassandra also wasn't afraid of a little danger so having less protection just encouraged her to fight smarter and more strategic.

Barnabas looks at her the same every time she comes back injured, but he says nothing to her as she makes her way into her room so she can patch herself up some. She still needed to go to Delos so she couldn't wait for the morning to find a healer for a better job. She really needed to practice more considering how many times this happens to her. At least she can handle the basics.

They set sail under the guise of the night and arrive on Delos before the sun rose.

Kassandra had them keep some distance from the shore as to not alert anyone of her presence. It was best to be over cautious when it had to do with the cult. They were everywhere and they were ordinary people at the end of the day. They can be the homeless man on the street, the baker, the blacksmith, etc. Nobody was off limits as the cult could lure anyone with the offerings of money and power and that was too much for most people to resist. They spewed their poison and the desperate were fool enough to believe them, causing their messages to spread.

They disgust her, repugnant human beings preying on the innocents. They stole her family from her so they could not ever have redemption in her eyes and she wouldn't allow them the chance. Her only exception would be for her brother, Alexios, as he knows no better than the life they provided him. He was robbed of his life, of her and their family, and she would never stop trying to reach him. This was the biggest reason she kept pursuing the cult as they still had Alexios in their claws and she would go to the ends of the earth to get him back.

This renewed her fervor and she trudged along the shore as she wrung out her clothing as she insisted on swimming to the shore. Not the brightest idea as it got chilly in the evenings and being wet would only make her sick, but she'd be inside soon enough. She had ordered the Adrestia to the opposite side of the island to save on time as she could make faster time on foot in a straight line than the Adrestia circling half of the island and she was determined to get to Mykonos before it got dark.

Kassandra kept to the outskirts until she arrived at the tavern. If anyone were to have loose lips, it would be the man who greased the wheel so the bartender was always her first stop in every time.

She enters the tavern to find it mostly empty as most men are either passed out on the floor or already back home. This would be the ideal time to have a private conversation. She can see the man cleaning up and trying to drag the passed out bodies outside. Kassandra hustles up to him and to offer her help.

The bartender looks up at her and he recognizes her immediately and she knows it. She places finger to her mouth to signify that he needed to be quiet and he shut his mouth.

"Let me help you with these" she offers as she lifts up the dead weight of the man in front of him and carries him outside, beyond the door, before setting him down by the bushes.

"Thank you, that was mighty kind as my back isn't what it used to be when I was your age" he jokes and offers his hand to her.

"Names Kepheus" he introduces as he grabs her hand in a sturdy handshake.

"Kassandra" she offers in response as they go back inside the tavern to the bar area.

"Pick your poison, it's on me" Kepheus offers as Kassandra dismisses his offer.

"Thank you Kepheus, but there is actually something else I was hoping to speak with you about" she says as she lifts up a small pouch of drachmae and takes one out to place on the counter.

Kepheus looks around the tavern before he leans forward and drops his voice as he collects the coin. "I am all ears" he confirms as he pockets it.

"Rumor has it there is at least one member of the cult who's been spotted here on Delos" she eyes him carefully as she places a few more coins on the counter. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"

Kassandra saw his eyes widen when she mentioned the cult so this means he knows something, but it's a matter of what and how much. 

"I am not sure I have what you're looking for here" he responds, wiping a glass down to occupy his hands.

"Oh, but I really think you do" she encourages as she drops what's left in the bag on the table and places her hand over it to show he needed to give her information first.

This was more drachmae than he would probably see in a month so if this didn't make him talk, not much else would.

"I haven't seen him personally, but someone important has been making trips to Delos once every other week from yesterday on the dot" Kepheus whispers as Kassandra slides the coins his direction as that was more than she expected to get from him.

"What have you heard?" Kassandra inquires, but she can see Kepheus deflate a little.

"Not much, honestly, as the only reason I know anything is because I was at the right place at the right time" Kepheus explains as he pours himself a drink.

"I was going to collect my shipment when I saw these two men with their faces covered whispering. I thought it looked suspicious so I snuck closer and hear them talking about someone, I think the name was Daimos, maybe Didmos" he tries to guess, but Kassandra cuts him off immediately.

"Deimos" she says and he confirms it.

"That's it, know of him?" Kepheus questions, but Kassandra dismisses it.

"Just a name I've heard before" she sidesteps as she is not telling him any unnecessary details. "What did they say about him?"

"Just that he was planning something big and that they needed to prepare. They walked away and I couldn't move any closer without being spotted and I didn't want to get involved" he admits.

"That's ok, you made the right call Kepheus. These are dangerous people" she reassures as she cannot fault him for leaving.

"Do you know what is going on in Delos then?" Kassandra inquires.

"No I don't, but I don't think it happens here" he answers.

"What do you mean?" Kassandra asks, probing for more information.

"I mean I think they just arrive on Delos, but go to Mykonos for what is actually happening. There's an island off the southern coast that's pretty far away from shore. I believe that's where they go, but I'm not sure why" Kepheus confesses.

"This was all incredibly helpful to me Kepheus, you saved me a lot of time and effort here" Kassandra thanks as she stands up to make her way across the island.

"One last question, when was the last time you saw these men?" Kassandra questions as she needs to know how much time she has to prepare.

"Well, they were here yesterday as I heard some fishermen complaining about some rude strangers with hoods so a day shy of two weeks I'd say they'll be back" Kepheus answers and Kassandra takes out a few more coins and tosses it to him.

"I'll be back in a week to touch base, keep your ears to the ground for me" Kassandra requests as this is, by far, the best lead she's had on her brother's whereabouts in a long time. She beings her run to the opposite side of the island and she's grateful for the exercise, it clears her mind to think.

Looks like Delos wasn't a bust after all, but this would mean she'd have to stay longer than she planned on. It's like she jinxed herself earlier, but she could always choose to stay on Delos instead, but she's not sure what (if anything) they have for rooms and she really didn't want to have to empty her purse more than she already did. Staying outside was an option as well, but there were bugs and critters she'd rather not have crawling on her.

Seems like she'd have to ask a favor of Kyra in the hopes that she feels hospitable as the small island is technically closer to where she'd stay on Mykonos than where she'd be on Delos. She could probably exchange her advice for lodging and just keep the drachmae Praxos has already given her.

She can see the Adrestia in the distance so she heads further north to meet up with it. She is eager to share what she knows with Barnabas, but also anxious about seeing Kyra again for the first time in almost a year.

Surely they could both be adults about this after all this time had passed.


	6. Easy Money (Aquarius)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> Thank you for coming back to continue this journey with me and I hope you all are truly enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it. We've got a reunion this chapter so buckle up buttercups!
> 
> Kudos/comments are appreciated as always!
> 
> Karmin - Easy Money (Aquarius)  
> https://youtu.be/pWsWgN9GHsI

Kassandra stands in front of Kyra's home and takes it all in. It's clear that they've made some renovations, but it looks nice. The whole place feels more put together than when she left it, but a lot can happen in what's basically a year. Time changes everything for good or bad and now it was time to see what time had made of Kyra.

She wanted to find Praxos first, but she wasn't sure where he was so she would maybe take another approach to get inside. Kassandra casually walks up to the kitchen door and gives it a knock. She can tell someone is nearby by the sound of the footsteps walking to the door.

It swings open and Sotiria is standing in front of her, surprise written over her face.

"Kassandra?! Oh my gods!" Sotiria squeals as Kassandra tries to shush her.

"Please, keep it down, nobody knows I'm here yet" Kassandra says in a hushed voice.

Sotiria launches herself into Kassandra and gives her a big hug. Kassandra returns it gladly as, besides Kyra, she was her favorite person on this island. She was soft spoken, but could step up when it was needed. She was wonderful to talk to and Kassandra felt safe and unjudged whenever they would talk.

"I've missed you so much" Sotiria muffles into Kassandra's shoulder so that it's barely audible.

"I have missed you too, so much" Kassandra says as she pulls back and tucks her hair behind her ears.

"Do you know where Praxos is? It is important I speak to him before anyone knows I am here" Kassandra asks and she can see the happy face of Sotiria turn to worry.

"Are you in trouble? Are you ok?" Sotiria panics and, once she steps back she notices the deep red wound across her stomach.

Kassandra places her hand of Sotiria's mouth as she inhaled to keep her quiet.

"I am fine, I am not in trouble, and this is nothing but a scratch" Kassandra assures.

"That is not just a scratch you liar" Sotiria scolds as she smacks Kassandra with a dish towel she had over her shoulder. "Don't you lie to me."

"I promise I will tell you about all of this later, but right now I really need to speak with Praxos" Kassandra urges and Sotiria finally relents.

"He is in the armory" Sotiria points towards the wing it is located in and Kassandra gives her a nod and heads that direction.

Kassandra can see him working on something so she doesn't bother knocking and just walks in. She's about to speak, but she sees Kyra directly in front of her as Praxos looks up. Thankfully, Kyra's back is to her and as his eyes go wide, Kyra looks up to see a shocked look on his face and she turns to see what he's staring at.

By the time she turns around, she sees nothing there so she looks back to him in concern.

"Praxos, are you alright?" Kyra asks in genuine concern.

"I think I am going to take a quick break to cool myself off. I will be right back" he answers, walking the direction he saw Kassandra dive towards.

"I think that's a good idea, you don't look well all of a sudden. Please take care of yourself" Kyra shouts out as she returns to polishing their swords.

Kassandra waits a minute before she peeks around the armor rack she dove behind and when she notices Kyra's back is now fully to her, she makes a hasty exit.

She's not sure where Praxos went, but she doesn't have to look for long as she feels a rock smack her in the shoulder.

"Ouch you mal...." Kassandra begins to complain and scold whoever threw it before she covers her mouth to silence herself. 

She looks to the direction of the projectile and sees Praxos standing around towards the outer wall, motioning her over.

"You didn't have to throw a rock at me you know" Kassandra complains as she can see a bruise beginning to for where it hit her.

"Be lucky that's all I did" he snaps back and Kassandra can feel the tension between them. Clearly bygones were not bygones with him yet.

"Hey, you asked me here so I don't even want to hear it" Kassandra asserts as she pokes his chest to back him up

Praxos looks at her and puts his hands up in a surrender.

"Look, you're right, I am sorry I threw the rock at you" he apologizes.

Kassandra knows he doesn't mean it, but she did not travel all the way here just to get in a fistfight with Kyra's hired muscle.

"Apology accepted. Truce?" Kassandra asks as she holds out her hand.

"Truce" he agrees and they both shake on a temporary cease fire.

"I'm guessing by your reaction to me that you've not told Kyra I was here, have you?" Kassandra inquires.

"No, I haven't" he confesses. "She's been really stressed lately and I just never found the right opportunity."

"Well you'd best find one as it sounds like you're in a bit of a time crunch" Kassandra says as she leans against the wall next to him.

"I think it's best to wait until we finish in the armory so she's not around so many sharp objects that she could stab you with" Praxos says and Kassandra laughs thinking he's joking.

She laughs with vigor, but it isn't long before she looks and finds his face as neutral as ever.

"Oh...ohhhh...." Kassandra stops laughing immediately as this meant Kyra was indeed still pissed at her and this was no longer funny.

"Fuck..." Kassandra sighs as she leans her head back until it connects with the wall.

"Can't say I've never done anything for you now" he says as he stands back up and heads for the armory.

"Wait, when will I know when you've told her?" Kassandra asks as Praxos walks away.

"Trust me, you'll know" Praxos answers as he disappears from her view.

"Well that's comforting" Kassandra mutters to herself as she heads back to the kitchen to find Sotiria. Now would be as good a time as any to catch her up. 

Kassandra pulls her away to a back room where she just unloads everything that has happened both a year ago to present.

"...and that's why I left and haven't come back until I got the letter" Kassandra finishes as she's pretty sure she barely took a breath. The only thing she omits is Thaletas as that's a detail she's not ready to share yet.

"First off, I knew it!" Sotiria exclaims. "I knew there was something between you two, but I didn't want to say anything."

"Secondly, you're an asshole" Sotiria says as she slaps Kassandra with the dish towel again. "That was so mean of you to do and you broke her heart."

"She didn't love me Sotiria, I didn't break her heart" Kassandra defends.

"I thought I told you not to lie to me?" Sotiria scolds. "You know damn well that woman was in love with you and that you loved her too, but you were a coward."

"We didn't love each other for the last time!" Kassandra protests. "We just had sex, that was it."

"You should tell her this because she's not been the same ever since you left and that's not something you mourn over if you "just had sex" like you claim. Who are you trying to convince? Me? Or yourself?" Sotiria asks, but Kassandra couldn't answer her.

All Sotiria's points had been valid thus far, but Kassandra surely wasn't in love with Kyra. That was ridiculous. She just enjoyed her and her company, that was a big difference from love.

"I'm not here to argue with you about this" Kassandra decides to shut down the conversation any further. "What's done is done and there's nothing I can do about it."

"You could apologize first of all for being an asshole" Sotiria mutters under her breath.

"I'm going to ignore you now if you've got nothing productive to add" Kassandra snarks as Sotiria raises up from her chair.

"Just because you don't want to hear something, doesn't make it any less true" Sotiria states as she places her hand on Kassandra's shoulder. "I need to get back to work, but I do wish you luck and hopefully she won't kill you."

"Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence" Kassandra says as she throws her hands up in exasperation. "I could totally take her for your information."

Sotiria pops her head back in the room as she needed to have the final word with this argument of theirs.

"No Kassandra, I don't think you would win as I believe deep down in your heart that you never want to hurt her again. That's why I think you'd lose" and, with that parting comment, Sotiria heads back to the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, go and be productive why don't you" Kassandra shoos her away as she sulks into her chair. 

There wasn't anything further to look into as she just felt guilty for everything that happened to them and that's all. There was no underlying meaning and no hidden message. Kassandra wasn't deep like everyone wanted her to be and they would just have to deal with it. She held Kyra in a warm regard and viewed her favorably. This wasn't anything more than that and there was no secret romance. Everyone else was just wrong.

Kyra had almost finished up polishing everything by the time Praxos returned.

"You look a bit better, were you dehydrated?" Kyra asks as she double checks the blade to ensure its sharpness.

"Yes, much better" Praxos answered and it wasn't a lie, not yet at least. He'd maybe regret it when the two of them for in the room together.

"This was the last one so we are officially done the maintenance for the month!" Kyra exclaims as they both high five.

"I was wondering if you had a moment so I could speak with you about something" Praxos asks anxiously.

"We can talk right now, I have nothing else planned" Kyra replies.

"No!" He answers all too quickly. "I mean, no, we should probably speak about this in your office."

"Ok, my office is fine" Kyra agrees as the two begins to walk.

Once they pass by the kitchen, he whisper to Sotiria to go grab Kassandra as soon as they go to the office.

Once they are inside, Kyra takes a seat and offers one to Praxos, but he declines. She can tell he is nervous about something by the way he's carrying himself. Something has to be bothering him.

"What is wrong? You look very nervous. Are you sure you're feeling ok? Kyra inquires.

Praxos cannot take lying to Kyra anymore so he just decides to blurt it out and get it over with.

"I disobeyed a direct order" he says quickly.

"Ok, and what order was that?" Kyra prods as she's not sure what he's talking about at all. She picks up a her pen and begins to fiddle with it while Praxos gets to his point.

"That I would not reach out to the Eagle Bearer" Praxos confesses.

The snap of the pen creates an uneasy silence between the two of them. Kyra couldn't believe what she was hearing so maybe she misunderstood him for whatever reason.

"What did you just say?" Kyra orders, her tone cold and firm.

"I said I disobeyed an order to reach out to the Eagle Bearer. I sent her a letter" Praxos answers.

He is not one to be intimidated as he's the size of a tree, but he respected Kyra and he had seen her angry only once before and it was something he never wanted to repeat. Yet here he was, confessing his betrayal and he could feel her icy glare as she made him spell out exactly what he did.

"What did the letter request?" Kyra inquires, tone still cold yet neutral at the same time.

"I asked for her help with Sparta and the Athenians. You told me not to, but I did it anyway" he confesses and she sits back in her chair looking amused.

"I'm hoping you didn't your hopes up as she's not likely to being herself round here again" Kyra scoffs.

"Actually....she's here" he admits.

"She's here?" Kyra asks quizzically.

"Yes, she's right outside the door actually" he motions and Kyra had had just about enough of this charade.

"That's enough Praxos!" Kyra yells as she smacks her hand to her desk. "This is not funny in the slightest and this joke has gone on far enough."

Kassandra can overhear everything being said and she's got to go and rescue him as he is flailing.

Kassandra opens the door and moves forward. "Actually, he's not jesting, I am here and present to help with the situation you've found yourself in."

Kyra doesn't believe her eyes as Kassandra is here, standing in the flesh before her. Her mouth goes agape as she takes in the sight before her.

Kassandra looked like a new woman. Her hair remained in her trademark braid, but everything else was different. She looked stronger than before and her choice of outfit was far more revealing than anything Kyra saw her casually wear before. She rakes her eyes down Kassandra body until she pauses at the giant gash across her stomach.

"You're hurt?! Praxos, go fetch a healer immediately" Kyra orders and he goes to exit, but is stopped by Kassandra stepping in front of his way.

"This isn't anything to worry about, I'm fine" Kassandra assures them as she pokes her wound to prove a point. It still hurt, but she kept her face neutral.

Now that the shock of her presence has worn off, Kassandra can see the anger rising to the surface. Kyra's face turns hard and cold, but she remains quiet, most likely calculating her next moves. She would never be so bold to send her away as there were appearances to maintain and, to everyone's collective knowledge, they were the best of friends. They both knew that public appearances could make a difference as one never wanted to look weak or unprepared. 

Kyra looks between the both of them and Kassandra can see that she is disappointed. She won't lie, it stung to be regarded like this, but she was the one who chose to walk away and how she did it. She was cruel and if she could go back and fix it she would. It was an extreme she should not have resorted to and it was selfish of her to play with Kyra as such. It was probably too late for an apology to smooth everything over.

"I am sorry Praxos had wasted your time as there is nothing here to be consulted as I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions for my people" Kyra says through gritted teeth, glaring at Praxos before turning her attention back to Kassandra.

"Of course you are welcome to stay for night for the inconvenience and I will be sure to pay you for your time" Kyra assures as she settles back into her chair.

"Now, if you both will excuse me, I have much work to be done" Kyra dismisses them both, but Kassandra did not come all the way here to be sent away so dismissively.

Kassandra allows Praxos to leave before she closes the door behind him and locking the door. Kyra pauses her writing when she hears the lock click into place, but she does not spare Kassandra another glance.

Kassandra had no idea why she didn't just take the money and leave. It would have truly been easy drachmae, but she's never been one to half-ass a job so she would not start with this one.

"Kyra, look," Kassandra says softly as she takes a seat across from her, "I'm not here to undermine you in any way so if you can look at me and tell me you'd like me to leave, I will."

Kassandra leans forward and plucks the papers from in front of Kyra and moves them to the side of her desk.

"If you look me in the eyes and tell me you never want to see me again, I will disappear from your life. Forever. You have my word" Kassandra doesn't want to offer this ultimatum, but things were never cut and dry with the two of them.

Kyra finally looks up and stares deep into Kassandra's eyes. Neither of them speak, neither wanting to back down from this silent challenge. Kassandra knew she was taking a bold risk with the proposition, but Kyra was still deeply hurt and Kassandra was hoping that was still a part of her that cared for her.

"I never want to see you again" Kyra responds, completely emotionless.

Kassandra shows a millisecond of hurt in her eyes before she reels it in to one void of any feeling. Kassandra did not expect this to fail. Kyra didn't even have to give it a thought and she answered almost as soon as the choice left her lips.

She didn't trust herself with words right now so she rose in silence, not looking back at Kyra as she knew if she did, her resolve would break. She unlocks the door and promptly makes for the exit.

Praxos catches her before she reaches the door, inquiring about the verdict.

"Did she agree to hear you out?" He asks, oblivious to her now sour mood.

"She did not so I will be on my way, if you'd excuse me" Kassandra answers as she tries to side step him, but he blocks her again.

"Surely you're not giving up that easily? I never knew you as a coward" he prods and faces the repercussions for his words immediately.

Kassandra spins around and grabs Praxos by the neck of his armor and pins him up against the wall. Praxos doesn't fight back and the two of them glare daggers at one another while everyone rushes out to see what just happened.

Praxos wasn't a fool, he had listened to the entire conversation and knew that if Kassandra walked out that door, it would be the last time anyone here would see her again. He needed to buy Kyra some time to change her mind and that meant he might take a strike or two.

"Do what you always do, run, it's all you're good at" he snarls as he forcefully pushes back on her grasp.

Kassandra gets knocked back into a bookcase, the contents spilling onto the floor and a shelf breaks at the impact.

Kassandra can hear someone yelling at her to stop, but all she sees is red. This was not the time and Praxos was pressing every button like it was deliberate. If he wanted to fight, she'd show him a fight.

Kassandra pushes off the wall and slams herself into Praxos, sending the two of them tumbling backwards into a cabinet, shattering the glass case.

Kassandra scrambles to gain footing, but winces as she can feel a piece of the glass embedded into her old wound. She feels warm blood coat her fingertips as she reaches down and if she weren't pissed before, she sure is now.

She grabs the glass and pulls it out and tosses the discarded fragment towards Praxos. He is able to dodge it, but gets hit square in the face with one of the books Kassandra knocked onto the floor right after it.

Praxos staggers back and almost trips on the blood that now litters the floor and Kassandra still stands tall as the blood seeps out of her wound and pools beneath her. She lunges back at him and the two of them get into a power grip where they try to force the others to kneel.

Kyra sits numb at her desk, replaying what just happened over and over again. The look of hurt on Kassandra's face was evident to her, even if she tried to hide it. It was nice making her feel the pain for once, but at what cost did this revenge have? She had just banished Kassandra from her life, forever. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted her decision.

Kyra leans forward on her desk and buries her face into her arms. She could both scream and cry right now and she wasn't sure which one she wanted to do first.

She needed to catch Kassandra, she needed to get her back, whatever it took.

Kyra hadn't even risen from her chair when her door slams open with a very disheveled looking Sotiria standing in the archway.

"Praxos...Kassandra...fight" Sotiria tries to get out, but she is winded from her run to fetch Kyra.

"Where?" Kyra demands as she begins to make her way to the both of them.

"Main entrance" Kyra can hear her say as she rounds the corner to the main corridor.

She arrives to find blood everywhere and Praxos and Kassandra in a battle of strength. Praxos looks like he has a dislocated nose, but Kassandra was a bloody mess. Her stomach wound got reopened somehow and she was losing blood as there was a thick puddle beneath her feet.

She needed to act and she needed to do it now.

"ENOUGH!" Kyra shouts, but both Praxos and Kassandra ignore her.

Kyra walks her way up in between them and forcefully pushes the two of them apart. Praxos only moved back about a step, but Kassandra in her weakened state, almost fell backwards.

Kyra spins to face Praxos, rage at the audacity of this stupid fight.

"Leave. Now. Do not let me see you again tonight" Kyra orders as she points to the door.

Praxos doesn't say anything further and puts up no fight as he exits to go take a walk and get himself cleaned up.

Kyra then turns to Kassandra who looked worse for wear and gives her a similar order, but more gently than their last conversation.

"My office. Now. We need to stop the bleeding" Kyra commands, but unlike Praxos, she makes no move to go.

"I will be fine, I have had worse" Kassandra responds as she slowly walks towards the door, blood still coming from her abdomen.

"This was not a negotiation" Kyra snaps back. "Either you walk there or I will drag you there. Don't be stupid."

Kassandra wants to argue, but it was clear the glass went deeper than she imagined as she was still loosing blood pretty steadily and would probably not be able to walk to the Adrestia before passing out.

Kassandra just nods, not wishing to exert the extra energy to speak and takes a few steps forward before she feels her legs buckle underneath her. She closed her eyes for the impact of dropping to the floor, but instead, she can feel herself being held up.

Kyra had been quick enough to catch her to prevent further injury so she summons Sotiria to help her with the weight as the two bring her into her office as Kassandra needs to be set on a level surface.

Kyra leans her against the doorframe, Sotiria still supporting her, as she wipes all the papers and objects from her desk. She quickly grabs Kassandra as the two gentle lower her down.

"Fetch me as many cloths as you can find and bring me water, wine, and the sewing materials as I will need to re-stitch her. Hurry" Kyra orders as Sotiria goes to fetch all the requested items.

Kyra wants to say so many things to the woman before her, but she finds herself at a loss for words. It shouldn't matter what happened to Kassandra as she had made her intentions very clear, but Kyra couldn't find it within herself to ignore her, especially now. 

Kassandra's eyes start to flutter shut so Kyra reaches for her and slaps her face slightly to get her attention.

"Don't you dare go to sleep on me Kassandra. Do you hear me?" Kyra frantically says as she tries to keep Kassandra conscious.

"Wouldn't dream of it" Kassandra mumbles out and it is clear she won't be conscious much longer.

"I need you to stay awake for me please, I beg of you" Kyra pleads as she takes a seat to level herself with Kassandra.

Kassandra shakily lifts her bloody hand up to touch Kyra's cheek and Kyra grabs her hand and squeezes it tightly.

An understanding passes wordlessly between them as Sotiria finally arrives with both help and the materials. 

Kassandra can feel herself losing her grip as her eyelids get heavier with each blink. She can feel pain and discomfort in her stomach and she can feel hands over her stomach, but not much else as her world fades to black.

She awakens several hours later, not remembering much of what happened. Last she knew is that she was in Kyra's office, but it seems now that she's in a bed somewhere.

Kassandra pulls back the covers to see her wound patched up and bandaged. It looks as if it needs to be changed though so Kassandra gets up and locates some leftover materials to change it out. 

Kassandra never worried too much about injuries as she had the ability to recover faster than the average person. She wasn't sure why, but she was grateful for it. She still scarred, but the lingering effects were minimal and what remained was purely cosmetic.

Her clothes were stained, but it didn't bother her as, if anything, it would just intimidate them a step further knowing that she was walking around in blood. Sometimes fear worked just as well as threats.

Re-bandaged and redressed, Kassandra slowly walks her way out of the room to find herself still in Kyra's place as she's in one of the spare rooms. She gingerly made her way down the stairs as to not attract attention, but one of the staff spots her and immediately rushes towards Kyra's office. Great. Now she was going to get a lecture.

Kassandra was almost down the steps when Kyra emerges, blocking the bottom of the staircase, hands on her hips.

"What are you doing?" Kyra inquires, her head tilted to the side.

"Leaving" Kassandra answers as she keeps working her way downwards.

"You are in no condition to leave. You should be resting" Kyra says, her voice soft, a direct contrast to their last conversation.

Kassandra doesn't say anything, but once she gets to the final step she can tell Kyra wasn't planning on moving.

Kassandra rolls her eyes at the childishness and pushes past Kyra. Kassandra knew she'd be fine in another couple hours and she just didn't want to be here anymore. She remembered Kyra's words and the only reason she wasn't already gone was Praxos and his stupid mouth. She had no reason to stay and definitely would not stay out of pity.

"Kassandra..." Kyra begins to speak, but Kassandra does not slow and keeps walking to the door.

Kassandra grabs the door, but as she pulls it open, Kyra's hand pushes it closed and keeps her hand pressed against it as she leans in to whisper in Kassandra's ear.

"Please don't go" Kyra says so quietly that Kassandra's not sure she heard her correctly. "I cannot speak now, but we can talk later tonight."

Kassandra finally looks her direction to see a few men gathered at the doorway from her office. It seems Kassandra was causing a bit of a scene while Kyra was trying to work. As much as she wanted to walk out, she would not want to embarrass Kyra in front of esteemed guests and the longer they stood there, the more questions they would have.

Kassandra relents and let's go of the door and turns wordlessly towards the kitchen for some food as if she were going to have to wait here, she wasn't about to do it on an empty stomach.

Sotiria follows suit as she can see the silent request in Kyra's eyes. She knows Kassandra, they both do, so there was still a chance she would take off before Kyra could see her and maybe if she had someone with her, she'd be less likely to run.

"You don't have to follow me, I do not need a babysitter" Kassandra scoffs as she takes a loaf of bread from the counter and takes a bite.

"I'm not here for that, well, not completely here for that" Sotiria replies, not wanting to lie. "It just looked like you could use someone to talk to."

"Talking got me into this mess so not talking seems like the better solution" Kassandra responds dismissively.

"Well indulge me please," Sotiria asks as she walks to be closer to Kassandra, "what in the world happened?"

"Words were said, punches were thrown, it happens" Kassandra answers as if it were a casual scenario.

"It most certainly doesn't just happen like that. Besides, why are in such a rush to leave anyway?" Sotiria continues to pry and Kassandra knows she means well, but she is only getting irritated.

"Does it matter?" Kassandra snaps, causing Sotiria to back up a few steps out.

"I guess it doesn't," Sotiria answers dejectedly, "I'll leave you be."

Kassandra knows she should apologize, but she's tired and just doesn't frankly care at the moment. She should have just walked away and taken the drachmae and gone. To be rid of Kyra, of Mykonos, and everything else here for good. She never should have come back.

Kassandra wants to scream in frustration, but instead settles on forcibly kicking some of the animal feed to let out some steam. She needed to release her anger and getting into another fight probably wouldn't fare well at this point. She still wasn't herself and she would not be so reckless to put herself into a losing battle and she didn't want to cause a scene. As much as she wanted to rebel, she still had the decency to do so in private for Kyra's sake.

Kassandra wouldn't just sit and wait for Kyra and be at her beck and call though, she was not one to be ordered around so she makes for the armory to distract herself. Nobody even tried to stop her and none wanted to look in her direction in fear of her releasing her ire on them. Kassandra would not be so brazen, but she appreciated the space it allowed her.

Kassandra doesn't need use of any of the weapons as she always carried her spear so she decided to pass the time sparring one of the training dummies. Rest was for the weak and Kassandra was anything but.

To say Kyra remained distracted would be an understatement after her confrontation with Kassandra on the stairs. She was negotiating trade with Naxos and her attention should be towards that, but she could not help but to think of Kassandra. What a mess this had all turned into and she can't blame Kassandra for being cold when it was Kyra who told her to leave and never return. Even though Kyra regretted it, the words were already said. 

She's able to hear a few keywords and is able to wrap up her negotiations rather quickly as she was not in a mood to play any games so she hit with her direct offer and, after some consideration, was accepted. Kyra would hazard a guess that their negotiations only lasted an hour, maybe two max, so she would make haste in trying to find Kassandra before she ran off.

Kyra checks with Sotiria who admits to storming away from Kassandra after an argument, so Kassandra's whereabouts were unknown. Kyra checked the rooms, all empty, and Kyra could feel the dread rising within her. If Kassandra stepped foot off this island now, she would never come back and Kyra couldn't bear the thought.

Kassandra stayed holed up in the armory, tiring from the continued combat so she, instead, went to polishing and sharpening her spear. It was already incredible sharp as she took meticulous care of her things, but the motions helped to calm her so she continued.

Kassandra could hear footsteps behind her, but she had a few guesses to who they could be, none of whom she wished to see so she kept her back to them.

The footsteps grew closer, but not close enough to invade her personal space. She could see a figure out of the corner of her eye, but she refuses to give the satisfaction of acknowledgment.

"I am surprised you're still here" Kassandra hears and recognizes the voice immediately as Kyra.

Kassandra does not respond or pause her ministrations, instead she just presses harder onto her spear and continues to polish.

"I had thought you had left once I couldn't find you in the house" Kyra confesses. "I am glad I was wrong."

Kassandra knows Kyra is pausing, waiting for a response from her, but she's not sure she could say anything without a venomous bite.

"Would you please say something?" Kyra asks and Kassandra fights the urge to roll her eyes as, of course she wasn't just going to say her piece and go.

"Say what?" Kassandra responds, still avoiding eye contact.

"What happened Kassandra? Why did the two of you fight? What did you do?" Kyra inquires.

Kassandra pauses for the first time as she reels at the accusation.

"What did I do?" Kassandra repeats the question aloud in astonishment. 

"Why do you automatically assume I am the one that caused this?" Kassandra takes an offensive tone and stance, discarding her attempts to remain calm. "Do you really think I would have done this?"

"I don't know what to think Kassandra, that's why I want us to talk about it" Kyra defends as she steps a bit closer to Kassandra.

"No. It is clear you see me as the instigator of this so why on earth would I waste my breath defending myself against a stacked deck?" Kassandra voice raises in anger and she begins to pace.

"Be rational Kassandra, you know it isn't a farfetched a concept to think" Kyra mentions, but Kassandra is already over their conversation.

"Did you come over here just to insult me or did you actually have something to say?" Kassandra angrily demands.

"I don't mean or wish to insult you and I am sorry if that was how it came off" Kyra apologizes, but Kassandra isn't pleased.

Both Kassandra and Kyra can feel the eyes on them as they're having this argument in a very public space so Kyra pleads with her, much softer, to move this to her office. Kassandra gestures for her to lead the way and the two of them walk in a tense silence.

Kyra locks the door and offers Kassandra a seat, but Kassandra opts to lean near the window to keep distance between them.

Kassandra finally looks at Kyra and can see the stress taking refuge. Kyra looks tired and worn out. Kassandra wonders if this is a constant or if it because of her.

"Kyra, why am I still here?" Kassandra asks, much more calmly now that she's in a confined area.

"I wanted to stop you right after I told you to leave and not come back. I didn't mean it" Kyra confesses. "I thought I did, but the moment the words left my mouth I regretted it, but you had already walked out and I thought I was too late. Then the fight with Praxos happened and I knew if you'd have gone out that door that I would never have seen you again and that's not what I want."

Kassandra can see that Kyra is telling her the truth as it looks like she is about to cry. Kassandra softens upon seeing Kyra so upset. She still is angry about everything, but she wasn't as angry as she was. She doesn't want to talk about her feelings so, to keep the conversation going, she changes topics.

"Who were you leaning towards?" Kassandra asks. "Athenians or Spartans?"

"Honestly neither, but I know I can't keep choosing that" Kyra answers, fine with the change of topic.

"Would you like my opinion on the matter or not?" Kassandra asks, the anger in her tone all but gone. "I know you are perfectly capable of making this decision on your own so if you do not wish my input, I won't force it."

Kyra is surprised at the sudden civility as not even thirty seconds before they were practically screaming at each other. Even now, Kassandra still will not force herself or her insight in respect to her and she's taken back by just how considerate a gesture it was. 

Was she still too proud to ask? No, not anymore.

"If you have the time, I would actually like your input on this as you have the experience and knowledge of both sides. Would you be opposed to staying tonight so that we may discuss this tomorrow as it is quite late to get into this tonight? I understand if that wouldn't suit you however" Kyra states as she does not want to get her hopes up.

Kassandra knows she's being offered an out as Kyra probably feels a bit guiltier from earlier, but Kassandra didn't wait around all day to leave now.

"You should also summon Praxos, he should be here for this discussion" Kassandra explains and can see the uncertainty lingering in Kyra's eyes.

"Are you sure? Would you be comfortable around him? I don't want you to feel uneasy" Kyra explains as she doesn't want to make Kassandra any more uncomfortable than she already is.

"I insist as he is an integral part of your strategy. I will, however, pass on a warning," Kassandra says as she walks up to Kyra, squatting down to be at her level, "if he pulls any stunt like this again, I will kill him."

"I will relay the message and I will personally give you my word that he will not lift a hand towards you or I will deal with him myself" Kyra promises.

Kassandra gives a nod and stands back up to take her leave, pausing before she walks out to look at Kyra and give her a small smile.

Kyra returns it immediately and Kassandra walks out feeling better than she has all day. She still didn't want to hang around any of them, but it was at least progress. She still had almost two weeks until the men would return so she might as well make the best of a bad scenario.


	7. Try Me On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday all!
> 
> I hope you're ready for our two ladies here to actually bring up how they're feeling about parts of each other (nothing too major, baby steps) AND, in addition, there's some fluff tucked nicely away for you all to enjoy in here too. Of course there's just a smidge of angst sprinkled about, but not a whole lot, promise!
> 
> I would love to hear from all of you about your thoughts and feelings so please don't be shy in the comments!
> 
> Karmin - Try Me On  
> https://youtu.be/4G8Xqr3W6P4

The reconvene happens mid day as Kyra had a previous engagement she forgot about, but it allows Kassandra time to rest as she over exerted herself yesterday during her fit of rage. She was exhausted and settled for dozing on and off for a few hours instead of getting up and being g productive.

Kassandra hears a soft knock on her door, prompting her to sit up.

"Come in" she says as Sotiria opens the door with a tray of food.

"Thought you may want something to eat before your discussions a little later" Sotiria offers the tray and makes to leave.

Kassandra needs to apologize to her for her behavior as she didn't deserve to be snapped at.

"Wait, please, come take a seat" Kassandra says as she pats the empty space beside her.

She can see Sotiria hesitate, but she relents and takes the seat.

Kassandra rips some of the bread off and hands it to her as a peace offering. Sotiria gladly accepted it so Kassandra decided to keep up the good will by doing what she should have done yesterday.

"Sotiria, I owe you an apology. I acted like a complete malaka yesterday and you did not deserve it. Please forgive me" Kassandra asks, her hand placed on Sotiria's knee with a small squeeze.

"Of course I forgive you, even though you were a complete ass" Sotiria jokes as she accepts the apology. "I shouldn't have pressed so hard either and for that, I am sorry too."

"Please, you have nothing to apologize for" Kassandra brushes it off as Sotiria was not in the wrong at all. "It was all on me and I let my bad mood impact how I spoke to you when you were just trying to be a friend."

"Well, I suppose I can forgive you, but only if I can have another bite as I am starved" Sotiria laughs and Kassandra does too.

She happily shares her food as the two of them idly chat about nothing in particular. Sotiria was a gentle soul and was easy to talk to when all was said and done. A sweet girl, although a bit naive, but she was pure spirit and Kassandra loved that about her. 

At least now that's one fire put out, now if only it were that easy with Kyra. She's going to go into this discussion with an open mind as she knows how important this decision will be as the tides of war stop for nobody. Kassandra had done a lot of thinking about it last night and she's confident on what side Kyra should take as, if she doesn't, Mykonos will not bode well and it could be a second rebellion in the making.

The two women make their way downstairs soon after they finish eating and Kyra steps out of her office to catch her.

"I am ready for you now if you have the time" Kyra says and Kassandra nods to her and hands the tray back to Sotiria.

"Thank you for the breakfast and the company, you always brighten my day" Kassandra says genuinely, causing Sotiria to blush.

Kyra watches as this banter goes on and can feel her heart clench. Was there something between the two of them? Kassandra was boldly flirting it appeared and Sotiria seemed very receptive of it. Jealousy washed over Kyra and she could feel her good mood begin to sour. Of course Kassandra would do this in Kyra's own home. She's done it once before so why wouldn't she do it again?

Kyra regains her focus as Kassandra brushes past her and whatever emotional battle her heart wanted to fight, now was not the time.

Kyra takes her seat while Kassandra and Praxos stand at opposite areas of the room. They appear to be in the middle of a stare down so she decides to cut in to get this macho display over with.

"Both of you, enough, please, for gods sake. We're all on the same side here" Kyra reprimands them both and they immediately cast their heads down.

"I am sorry Kyra, you are right" Praxos admits. "Apologies Eagle Bearer for this display and for yesterday, I went too far."

Kassandra doesn't say anything back, but she gives a nod which is better than nothing.

"Good, good, now please sit, both of you, as you're stressing me out with your incessant pacing" Kyra implores and they both move to sit in front of her.

"Better, thank you. Now, Kassandra, what advice do you have for me?" Kyra inquires as she sits back to take everything in.

"Here's what I think...." Kassandra speaks and begins to go in depth, heavily outlining her suggestion and supporting her decision with research and first hand proof.

Kassandra wanted to be thorough in presenting her opinion and she knew Kyra would want facts over educated guesses. She was meticulous with her choice as she knew there was much riding on this for everyone at the table.

"....and that's why I think Sparta will be your best option" Kassandra concludes, waiting to hear any rebuttals or questions.

"I see" Kyra answers as she ponders over everything Kassandra had told her, placing her hands in front of her mouth with her thumbs resting under her chin. "You bring very solid arguments to the table and I think it would be a disservice to you and my islands if I were to not take it into consideration."

"Praxos, any disagreements?" Kyra asks as she turns to him.

"No, none" he responds.

"It is settled then" Kyra gently slaps her hand onto her desk. "Praxos, please send word to Darieos about my decision so we may finalize our pending agreement."

"Just like that?" Kassandra questions.

"Just like that" Kyra confirms with a smirk. "I trust you."

Praxos exits the room, but Kassandra makes no move to leave. She needed to speak with Kyra about staying for a little longer.

"Are you still free for another few minutes? There is something I'd like to run by you" Kassandra asks.

"I have the rest of my day cleared actually as I was not sure how long this was going to take so I canceled everything else I had. Do you wish you speak in here or would you be interested in going for a walk?" Kyra questions as she leans back on her chair.

"A walk? To where?" Kassandra inquires, but Kyra just smiles.

"Anywhere but here, I could use the fresh air" Kyra answers and Kassandra could also go for a walk, it doesn't sound like a bad idea.

"Sure, we can walk and talk" Kassandra agrees and the two of them make their way towards town.

They walk the first portion in silence, just enjoying the fresh air and Kassandra can't help but think how beautiful Kyra looks in the sunlight. She should absolutely not be thinking this and she turns her head away from Kyra sharply enough to almost make her dizzy.

"What was it you wanted to speak to me about?" Kyra inquires as the two of them enjoy their leisurely stroll.

"I have news on the cult's whereabouts and information about my brother" Kassandra begins as she trusts Kyra with the truths of this story.

"I landed on Delos first, before I came here, as I had heard rumors of a cult presence and I was right according to a reliable source" Kassandra starts, but she pauses as she hears Kyra gasp.

"The cult is on my island? I had no idea, I am a failure to my people..." Kyra responds dejectedly as she was supposed to know everything that was going on so missing something this large was a huge oversight.

"You cannot blame yourself Kyra, you're only one person and, besides, this individual or individuals are incredibly illusive. They hide for a living, like snakes in the grass, you have done the best job possible" Kassandra tries to calm and reassure Kyra as she knows she unintentionally upset her and wants to make it right. 

"You say that, but you know nothing of me or what I do Kassandra!" Kyra stops dead in her tracks as she turns towards Kassandra. "You left before any of this happened and the only reason you're back is because my own people find me so woefully incompetent that they seek your help instead of trusting mine."

Kassandra stands stunned at Kyra's confession about this. They've never really had any emotional conversations as it was just better left physical, but she can see how heavily this all weighs on Kyra. She wonders if Kyra will resent her for this unwanted intrusion as Kyra really didn't want her here. Kassandra wasn't a motivational speaker of any means, but she knew she needed to say something or else Kyra would believe her silence as compliance and an agreement.

"I don't believe that for a second and neither should you" Kassandra responds, placing a gentle hand on Kyra's shoulder. "Your people would follow you blindly to the end of this world and into the next. I have seen it firsthand how much they respect you."

Kyra places her hand on top of Kassandra's and gives it a gentle squeeze. Kyra can feel herself getting lost in Kassandra's touch as she always had a way of unnerving her whenever she touched her. 

Kassandra made no move to pull away and the two of them stood in the middle of the path, remaining grounded in the moment. She can feel the warmth of Kyra's hand and it feels like she's holding her own hand over an open flame. The more she keeps the contact, the worse she will get burned.

How she had missed Kyra's closeness, even if she'd never admit it. They might not have ended on the right foot, but it was clear that whatever spark Kassandra tried to bury was returning with reinforcements. Her heart hammered in her chest as Kyra took a step closer and allowed herself to be openly vulnerable and rested her head on Kassandra's shoulder.

Kassandra couldn't have moved if she wanted to. The touch of Kyra was so overwhelming that it short circuited any cognitive function she had. The smell of Kyra's hair was something she always found soothing, even after all this time. It was as if the world stood still for them and nothing else mattered. How she longed to be with Kyra again, to indulge, but it would only end in heartbreak as Kassandra was not one to settle down and she made it very clear to Kyra the last time they were together.

Kyra wasn't sure what possessed her to lean into Kassandra, but she just knew she needed her close. Kyra was expecting Kassandra to push her off, but as the seconds ticked by, Kassandra made no move to escape her touch. Kyra knew better than to think of Kassandra as romantically affectionate, but it provided her with a sense of comfort.

Kassandra brings up her free hand and beings to gently stroke Kyra's hair, calming her immediately and pulls her into a tight embrace.

Kassandra had missed Kyra and being so close to her, feeling her against her own body, ignited feelings she swallowed down almost a year ago. She would be playing with fire if she went down this path, but Kyra was addiction, one she never truly wanted to be cured from. If she played her cards right, maybe Kyra could be hers once again. Even something in a temporary nature would be better than nothing as not touching Kyra until now was a form of torture.

Kyra finally pulls back and looks deeply into Kassandra's eyes and that was all it took for Kassandra's resolve to shatter. Kassandra holds tight to Kyra's hand and pulls her close so they are chest to chest, their lips slightly parted as they feel the weight of their proximity. Kassandra leans in to kiss her, but it was if the fates had another idea.

They both get startled apart as the sound of a heavy object drops in the distance. Kassandra takes a few steps back, realizing she was about to ravage this woman in a very public and open area. She rubs her hand over the back of her neck in embarrassment and Kyra clears her throat a few times as she also retreats away from the contact.

"Well, um, yes...well..." Kassandra incoherently tries to speak to fill the void, but fails miserably.

"What was it you wanted to discuss? You'd mentioned the cult and your brother" Kyra asks as she successfully reverts them to the original purpose of the walk.

"Right, that, yes," Kassandra stumbles as she's trying to form full sentences, still reeling from their almost kiss that happened moments ago. "I got information from an inside source who says that this group or man arrives every other week in Delos and then sails to the small island off of Mykonos to not draw attention. I need to find out what is going on so I was hoping you wouldn't be opposed to me staying for another two weeks as I just missed them and just wait for their next trip."

"You're staying?" Kyra asks, a flutter of hope bursting in her chest.

"Only until I solve what is going on here, yes" Kassandra confirms, not wanting to sound as if she's here for any long term duration.

"I see..." Kyra trails off and Kassandra can see she is deep in thought. This means there must be a catch.

"One condition," Kyra requests, "I go with you."

"No" Kassandra immediately, not needing to give the idea any thought.

"No?!" Kyra responds, deeply offended by Kassandra's fast answer. "Why in the hell not?"

"It would be dangerous first off" Kassandra recites as she had prepared for something like this once she decided to tell Kyra about the cult. "Secondly, I work alone, always have."

To say Kyra was angry was a gross understatement. How dare Kassandra not think her capable of handling something dangerous. She lead a rebellion for gods sake, all she knew was danger! This conversation was in no way over.

"Do you not remember how we met Kassandra? I'm fairly sure that was dangerous. The battle we won on the beach? Also dangerous. Are you not seeing a pattern here?" Kyra lashes out.

"What happened here was different from anything you would see from these people!" Kassandra angrily states in as normal a voice level as possible as she doesn't want to cause a scene. Well, anymore than there already is.

"I have lived my whole life fighting to survive, Kassandra, so don't you dare lecture me on dangerous people" Kyra shouts back, clearly not caring who hears them.

"Lower your voice for gods sake" Kassandra shushes as she drags Kyra towards the edge of the trees, providing them a bit more privacy.

Kyra shakes off Kassandra's hold and takes a few steps back. "Don't" Kyra sharply says as Kassandra tries once again to reach out to her. 

"Kyra," Kassandra pleads, "be reasonable." Kassandra knew Kyra was capable of holding her own, but it had been a year since she had most likely seen combat and Kassandra could not and would not allow her into harm's way.

"Reasonable?!" Kyra scoffs, irritation apparent on her face. Kassandra knew right there that her word choice was poorly executed and that there would be consequences.

"I am so over you thinking you're as mighty as the gods, Kassandra" Kyra jabs as she moves forward and presses her fingers into Kassandra's chest, forcing her to take a step back or risk falling. "You walk like a mortal, you look like a mortal, and most importantly of all, you bleed like a mortal. You think you're untouchable, but you're wrong."

"What does me not wanting you to be hurt have to do with your accusation that I have a god complex?" Kassandra fires back in an attempt to take the offensive. "I have never said I was immortal so if you want to attack me, try to go for something I've actually done."

"Oh, so now you care about my wellbeing?" Kyra exaggerates, placing heavy emphasis on the "my". "Well, that changes everything. Should I just be throwing myself at your feet now or would you prefer me to find a puddle to lay down in first so you can walk all over me?"

Kassandra looks enraged enough that Kyra might actually get some truth now. Kassandra was always too in control and was never honest with how she felt. Kyra hadn't forgotten how they last parted, but she knew Kassandra wasn't telling her the whole truth about something and she was going to find out what sooner or later. 

"Have you been drinking?" Kassandra accuses. "As that's the only logical reason you would be acting so melodramatic and childish."

"I'm more sober than I've ever been, in so many ways" Kyra answers, her vagueness not lost on Kassandra.

"What does that even mean?" Kassandra asks, completely puzzled at just where this conversation was going.

"What it means is that I am seeing the real you for the first time. You expect people to just accept what you say as fact and shut down entirely if there's any rebuttal" Kyra goes off on a tangent that she's been holding in for a year now, unable to stop herself. "What it means is that you must truly believe that you're the only person who is even remotely capable of doing anything. You push everyone away that wants to be there for you so you can continue on your crusade to martyrdom believing yourself righteous and just. Personally, I think you're just afraid and that terrifies you."

Kassandra steps into Kyra's space, her fists clenched so tightly by her side that they are turning white. How dare Kyra speak to her like this! All Kassandra is trying to do is protect her and it seems like that concept is entirely lost on Kyra. The nerve to accuse her of being afraid. Afraid of what? Kassandra had nothing she was afraid of.

"I think I've had just about enough of our walk and this conversation" Kyra says curtly as she turns around to head back home, leaving Kassandra standing alone, simmering in her accusations. 

Kassandra doesn't move right away as she's still trying to process everything that just happened. They hadn't walked that far so by the time Kassandra decided that she wasn't just going to walk away from this, Kyra would almost be back home.

"Oh no you don't" Kassandra mutters to herself as she jogs to catch up.

Kassandra runs to make up for the head start and spots her a few houses before her destination. Kassandra picks up the pace so that she's right behind Kyra walking in the door.

Kassandra was not finished with this discussion (if you could even call it that at this point) so Kassandra follows on Kyra heels as she storms inside. 

Kyra does not acknowledge her personally, but instead, she makes a general announcement to whoever was stationed inside.

"You are all dismissed for the day, with pay, please see yourselves out" Kyra orders and her people didn't have to be told twice for what is essentially a free day off. They all clamor out with the exception of Praxos.

"Kyra, are you alright? Do I need to step in?" Praxos inquires in a whisper in an attempt to prevent Kassandra from overhearing. 

"You've already done quite enough already. Don't you think?" Kyra sternly chastises. "You can go. I will handle this."

Praxos steps away respectfully as he knows she is still sore about the issue with Kassandra and it was his fault entirely that she was present. He'd done enough damage for now and trusted Kyra wouldn't get herself hurt again.

Kassandra smiles smugly watching the display in front of her, taking pleasure in witnessing his reprimand. She never personally had anything against him until he started that fight with her yesterday. Now, she will take a small satisfaction in his discomfort and shame. She even sends him off with a tiny wave before following Kyra upstairs.

Kyra slams her bedroom door shut and Kassandra can hear her turn the lock. Well, that would probably stop an ordinary person, but Kassandra was anything but. She goes to the room she had been sleeping in and climbs out the window. With a grace honed only by time and practice, she gracefully pulls herself up onto the roof and walks over to Kyra's balcony. She can hear Kyra muttering something under her breath. She's makes out the words "pompous and infuriating" pretty clearly, but the rest is rather muddled. It was no matter though as Kassandra would have a bit of revenge soon enough.

Kassandra jumps down, making no efforts to muffle her landing and relishes in the startled sound Kyra let's out at this unexpected intrusion.

"Fuck, Kassandra" Kyra let's out once she's gotten herself composed.

"Only if you say please" Kassandra responds, flirtatious undertone implied. Even when she's angry she'd not pass up an opportunity like that.

What she didn't expect was a flustered blush to creep up upon Kyra's face at the innuendo. That was something she'd tuck away for later.

"You should leave" Kyra says firmly. "I locked the door for a reason."

"And I ignored it for a reason" Kassandra says without missing a beat. "We're not done here as you don't get to accuse me of such things and just walk away. You may be in charge here, but you do not rule me. You say I'm afraid yet you are the one who is walking away and locking me out. What is it you think I fear? I have faced unspeakable creatures and men so what do I have to fear?"

"Yourself" Kyra responds with conviction.

"Myself? Really?" Kassandra answered dumbfounded.

"Yes, you" Kyra says.

"By all means, please educate me" Kassandra says as she gestures her arm out in a sweeping motion.

"You're afraid of showing yourself to anyone in fear of getting attached. You're afraid of opening up as you do not wish to be perceived as weak. You're preventing yourself from finding any purpose in life other than this destructive path you're walking on. Should I go on?" Kyra rhetorically inquires, knowing full well Kassandra won't ask her to continue.

"Your saying I'm afraid of emotions?" Kassandra scoffs. "That's ridiculous."

"Not in the slightest" Kyra counters.

"I don't fear emotion, I just prefer to not let irrational thoughts cloud my judgment" Kassandra retorts.

"That sounds an awful lot like an excuse, a poor one at that. The sooner you realize it, the better off you'll be. Then maybe, just maybe, you won't be so incorrigible to be around" Kyra says sharply.

"Sounds to me like I'm not the only one projecting here" Kassandra decides to be on the offensive and give Kyra a taste of her own medicine. "You shout accusations at me, but flee from hearing any disagreement or counter. I think it is you who doesn't want to face the truth."

"What truth am I running from Kassandra? Please enlighten me" Kyra defensively responds.

"I think you're running from the fact that you don't think that you can do this job" Kassandra says, holding nothing back at this point. "You're too prideful to even take a consultation with me to save your islands because you couldn't stand the sight of me so who's to say if troubles come down the line that you'll do the right thing? You're also indecisive, which is selfish for your people and your land. You cannot leave these things to the fates, you need to grow up and make a decision."

Kassandra knew that was a low blow, but it wasn't as if Kyra's words were the kindest either. Two grown women, squabbling over such petty things, but Kassandra was in too deep to back out now.

Kassandra expected a combative response, but she sees that her words had apparently cut deeper than intended as Kyra's stoic posture is now deflated. She could see Kyra retreating into herself and she really, really needs to think before she speaks as this is the second time she's done this in a single day. The only difference is that she's not leaving this time, not yet.

"Kyra, I...." Kassandra begins, but is halted by Kyra holding up her hand.

"Don't, please" Kyra pleads, so Kassandra remains silent. "Here I am, picking a fight with you again, and for what?"

Kyra takes a seat on her bed, slumping her head into her hands to gather herself. She slowly rakes her hands over her face until they cup over her nose and mouth. They both remain silent, but Kyra's eyes roam over Kassandra. 

Here before her stands the same woman who broke her heart, the woman she believed she could change to make her stay. Memories of their last fight swirl in her mind. Kassandra would always be so wild and unpredictable and she would likely never settle. Kassandra always spoke the truth to her, even if hurt, so why was now any different? Why was she willing to put herself through all this a second time? 

That was perhaps, the most simple of all. She was lonely and her heart ached for love.

Kyra knew her feelings for Kassandra were genuine and with Thaletas' whereabouts after all this time still a mystery, she needed to think what she wanted for herself. She had no lovers since Kassandra and she sheltered her heart from any others, knowing it would only end eventually. How she craved for intimacy though, even if it was conditional. She was allowing her personal life to merge into her work and she needed to do something about it. She could not afford to be so absentminded.

Kassandra was right, she was projecting and indecisive, but it didn't make it any easier to accept. She was afraid she would make the wrong decisions and she was afraid of what that could mean for her people. She would need to focus herself and put her pride aside as she needed Kassandra in more ways than one. Having something would be better than nothing and, as much as this would hurt her, she wouldn't let it show. She needed Kassandra as much as she wishes she didn't and she would just have to accept whatever she was willing to offer.

Kassandra could see the inner battle Kyra was having before her and she wished she could take her words back. She wanted to cut her down a notch, but it didn't make her feel any better once it was done. If anything, it made it worse. Kyra was stressed and that caused her to lash out, Kassandra can understand and should have just let it drop, but no. She just had to have the final word and give her opinions whether it was warranted or not.

It's not as though Kyra was all wrong about what she said though although she'd never admit it out loud. It would make her too open and being so vulnerable is just not something Kassandra wanted to do. It allowed for others to have a hold over you, a power of influence, and she just couldn't subscribe to that idea. It didn't mean she didn't care for Kyra though and she found the more time she spent around her, the harder it was to walk away. 

She's always had the craving ever since their first kiss and how she wished for it once more. Kyra looked so small, as if she scrunched up her body to take up the least amount of space as humanly possible. Kassandra found herself wanting to fix what damage she caused, wanting to be the source of comfort to Kyra, even though she was the cause of her pain.

Kassandra tentatively kneels before Kyra, placing her hand just to the side of where Kyra is seated. She needs to apologize, even if Kyra doesn't want to hear it.

"Kyra, I am sorry for my words just now, I said things I shouldn't have and I...." was all Kassandra was able to get out before Kyra surged forward and shut her up with a kiss. 

Kassandra doesn't respond as she's too caught up with the fact that it even happened in the first place so Kyra pulls back, completely sure she missed the mark.

"I'm sorry, I completely misjudged and was out of line" Kyra backpedals, trying to save herself from the embarrassment that is coming over her.

Kyra slides off the bed, the opposite direction of where Kassandra's hand still rests. She needed to get some air as this room felt as if it was suffocating her. Kassandra hadn't returned her kiss so she'd just made an even bigger fool of herself for nothing. She should have just kept it professional as it hurt her even more to know that Kassandra didn't want her anymore. All she'll ever be is just a notch in her belt.

Kyra moves to unlock her door, but Kassandra's hand, both firm and gentle, halts her movement. She dares not turn around as she doesn't think she could keep her composure if she sees Kassandra rejection on her features. She stays still, back to Kassandra for what feels like an eons worth of time, Kassandra's hand still resting above her own.

"Kyra..." she hears whispered just audibly enough from Kassandra into her ear. The way her name sounds coming from Kassandra's lips makes her heart flutter. So tender, but filled with so much uncertainty behind it. Still, Kyra remains facing the door in a futile attempt to mask her emotions.

"Turn around, please" Kyra hears the plead from Kassandra and she knows she will have to move eventually so she may as well just get it over with.

She attempts to spin around, but Kassandra was pressed up rather firmly against her back, making it impossible.

"You do know you have to back up for me to do that, right?" Kyra points out and the weight against her back is lifted immediately and Kyra cannot help but miss its warmth.

"Sorry about that" Kassandra apologizes for as she nervously rubs the back of her neck. The embarrassment of her being pressed up so close to Kyra was getting to her.

Kassandra can see Kyra relax a little bit more from that awkward exchange and knows that she needs to address what just happened. She contemplates how she wants to bring this up as she most certainly wants to be intimate with Kyra, but not without drawing a line about what that entailed. Before Kassandra could lay out terms though, Kyra begins to speak.

"Can we please forget that even happened? It was a mistake and I am sorry for making you uncomfortable" and Kyra was sorry, last thing she needed was to alienate the only woman who's ever truly been there for her.

Kassandra remains quiet, pondering, wondering why Kyra was so quick to call what happened a mistake. Kassandra knew Kyra still harbored some feelings towards her, but she just never knew to what extent before now. She still isn't truly sure, but at least she can hazard a guess. 

Kyra mistakes the silence for an agreement with her proposal and quickly tries to change the subject.

"Right then," Kyra says with a hand clap, "let's get a room situated for you for you stay until you get your thing settled."

"Stop" Kassandra commands, freezing all of Kyra's movements as she was about to open the door. "I am not finished, you seem to have a habit of not letting me speak."

"I, uh...sorry, please, go ahead" Kyra chokes out as she did not expect Kassandra to actually want to vocalize.

"What I was going to say is that what you did was not a mistake, but what I didn't do was" Kassandra speaks as she moves closer into Kyra's space.

"What didn't you do?" Kyra questions, her voice amply lower than before due to their proximity.

"This" and in one quick motion, Kassandra had Kyra pinned up against the door frame, locked in a kiss. The intensity of them is palpable and if it were possible to combust from touch alone, they both would be lighting up the room. The kiss said conveyed everything that they couldn't and wouldn't say.

Kyra is pleasantly surprised as she had discounted Kassandra actually wanting her anymore, but this kiss showed her that just wasn't true. She grabs at Kassandra's face, pulling her even closer, not wanting a single piece of her body away from Kassandra's. Kyra tries to deepen the kiss, but Kassandra pulls her head back.

"If this is going to happen, there needs to be some ground rules" Kassandra says, her voice a bit labored from their brief make out session.

"What are your terms?" Kyra inquires, not actually caring as she'd agree to just about anything at this point to get Kassandra's lips back on her own.

"That this isn't permanent as I don't do relationships and that we are free to see whomever we want in addition to what we're doing. We also must remain professional when in public as we both have reputations to uphold" Kassandra lists off, trying to gauge a reaction from Kyra, but she is remaining neutral. 

Deciding to try to make light of all this, Kassandra opts to throw something extra in for a joke. "This also isn't a love thing, it's just sex, so don't ruin it by falling in love with me" she says with a mischievous glint in her tone.

Kyra's eyes bulge at that egotistical proposition, especially the last part. Just how many times has she run through this same speech that she had to add that as a rule? Kyra shudders at the thought. Could she really hold herself to what Kassandra is requesting? No. No she couldn't, but that would be a problem for her future self as right now, all she wants is to be underneath her.

"Deal" Kyra quickly agrees and now Kassandra has the look of shock on her face. She didn't expect Kyra to so readily agree to her terms.

"Deal? Are you sure?" Kassandra probes, trying to see if there is a catch.

"Well, now that you mention it," Kyra begins, a certain mischievous glint about her, "I do have one rule to add."

Kassandra nods, encouraging Kyra to speak and Kyra decides to throw a bit of self righteousness back at Kassandra. "Since you're so assured I will fall madly in love with you, I'd like to offer you a counter."

"By all means," Kassandra gestures for her to continue.

"If I cannot fall in love with you, you cannot fall in love with me" Kyra states and Kassandra cannot help but to let out a small laugh.

"I will not, I assure you" Kassandra says with the utmost confidence, but Kyra wants to believe she knows better than that. 

Kyra knows there is something between them, something that Kassandra refuses to accept so she will use time and her wiles to show Kassandra that maybe falling in love isn't a death sentence.

"So is that a yes?" Kyra questions, not enjoying the small jest Kassandra took her statement as.

"I agree to your terms, yes" Kassandra assures her.

"Then why are we still here and why do we still have clothes on?" Kyra questions with a raised eyebrow.

Kassandra didn't need to be told twice so she closes the distance and reconnects their lips as she pins Kyra up against the door.

The two make love for hours upon hours, enjoying the freedom of the empty house and newfound agreement between them. Little does Kassandra know that her most important rule has already been broken before it even began. Kyra was already in love with her, but she was too blind to see it and Kyra would never admit it out loud. 

Laying back in the afterglow, Kyra wrapped up tight next to her, Kassandra roams her eyes over her sleeping lovers body and thinks she's finally got everything she's wanted with no strings attached. She was able to have the best of both worlds with her new arrangement and there was not a downside she could see. How lovely a day this all shaped up to be.

It's just a shame she doesn't realize what this could've been had she allowed herself to be honest with everything she truly feels. Instead, she pushes it down and falls into the grand illusion that being casual with Kyra was all she ever needed.


	8. Night Like This

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!
> 
> First off I want to say I took some liberties with this one because I'm fairly certain the Ancient Greek people didn't actually have the game/event I describe here. I figure it is a work of fiction based off from fiction (as much as we'd love both of them to be real) so it was well within the realm of possibilities that someone at sometime did something similar.
> 
> This was one of my favorite chapters I've written so I hope you all truly enjoy it and, as a bonus, you'll all get to see Phaedra being a little shit to everyone but Kassandra's amusement and, towards the end, you'll have a protective Kassandra that will make you say #goals
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are encouraged as I write this story for you just as much as I do for me and I take your input and suggestions to heart as I write this all a chapter at a time so anything can happen.
> 
> Karmin - Night Like This  
> https://youtu.be/sVJro95nPFc

The almost two weeks that Kassandra needed to wait seemed to pass by in a blur. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt as peaceful as she is right now, she was at ease. She would spend her days aiding the citizens or she would go hunting for Ibex with Phaedra to pass the time. It turned out the two women had much more in common once they actually spoke (unlike their last awkward encounter). Her favorite part of the day though was returning to Kyra and being intimate with her. She made sure that Kyra knew this wasn't permanent, but she found that she didn't go out of her way to explore anyone else while Kyra was so readily available.

Kassandra did, however, try her hand at wooing Phaedra a second time on one of their hunts (as that was also a way she passed the time) as she felt they could've had a fun time together, but Phaedra was very clear that she was flattered, but just not interested. Kassandra got the message loud and clear, but unlike their first meeting, it wasn't awkward and she didn't want to bail. It was a shame really as there was potential, but it wouldn't stop Kassandra from being who she was and Phaedra learned that her flirty nature was just a part of the overall package. The two of them connected in a way that surprised her, both fiercely independent and desired to explore the world unseen. 

Kassandra learned that Phaedra had traveled quite a bit for someone who appeared to be very settled. Nikandros, her pater, was a travelling merchant and she and her mater used to follow him wherever he went until he became sick. He wasn't able to keep up with the heavy demand nor could he handle sea life anymore so they set down roots where he grew up, Mykonos. They had been settled for about seven or eight years now and her father's condition didn't improve, but with stability and his skills as a hunter, it made it manageable to maintain as he could still afford his medicine. There was nothing the greedy merchants love more than an ill person seeking treatment.

The two of them became close and fast friends, telling epic tales of their pasts and what they hoped to accomplish in the future. Kassandra even trusted her enough to tell her about the cult, which spoke volumes as Kassandra had only told a few select people about just how deep they ran.

The two make quick work of their most recent hunting trip and, while only Kassandra walked away with a kill, it was still fruitful. Kassandra carries the dead Ibex over her shoulder as it is going right to Phaedra's stand in the market so that she and her pater can sell it. Kassandra wanted no part of the profit as she finds the company payment enough and it was good exercise. Having been away from her pater for too long, Phaedra requests they return home.

Kassandra spends almost the entire walk telling Phaedra all about the cult and explaining everything as best she could. She even went as far to tell her about Mount Taygetos and Alexios. She was concerned with receiving pity as it was a tragic story, but was relieved when none was found. Only empathetic eyes and support were given and Kassandra felt a little lighter getting that off her chest.

"So wait," Phaedra begins as they settle into a slower pace as they hit the edge of the market, "you're telling me there is some underground cult trying to dismantle all of Greece?"

"Essentially, yes" Kassandra confirms, her voice a hushed whisper.

"More importantly, there's one here that you're trying to find, right?" Phaedra questions. 

"Tomorrow night I will return to Delos to prepare and I also want to be present in case they arrive a little early. I do not wish to wait two more weeks, I would go crazy" Kassandra exaggerates, earning her a playful nudge to her arm.

"I'll have you know there is plenty to do here so, if you went mad, it would be to your own hubris" Phaedra jokes, still leaning into Kassandra. "And besides, I'm pretty sure you have someone who would be more than happy to keep you entertained."

"Is that an invitation?" Kassandra quirks an eyebrow up as she goes along with the teasing.

Phaedra laughs, taking the resilient nature of Kassandra to heart. "You wish, misthios." They both share a laugh as they reach the stall where her mater and pater sat at and Kassandra hung up the Ibex for them to gut and drain later. 

"I was thinking someone more like her" Phaedra states as she points into the crowd, placing her aim directly at Kyra. "You should go say hi."

Kassandra was about to dismiss the idea, but Phaedra essentially pushed her into the crowd, making her bump into Kyra. Kassandra almost topples them both over by the motion, but she's quick to grab both Kyra and a counter to prevent them from hitting the ground.

"Well, this certainly is one way to say hello" Kyra says after she turns to see who was responsible for almost plowing her over.

"I am so sorry, seems like SOMEONE," Kassandra says at a higher pitch, knowing Phaedra was listening, "thought it would be fun to shove me. How CHILDISH," again, raising her voice on the key word, "some people can be."

Kassandra sets them both upright as they both turn to Phaedra who is hunched over laughing at the entire encounter and is getting far too much joy out of this. They both walk over to her where, upon seeing Kyra joining Kassandra, she tries to keep herself composed.

"Sorry Kyra, I hope you are unharmed from this as it seemed I had a moment of clumsiness" Phaedra apologizes, knowing full well the shove was intentional, but there was no need to implicate herself.

"No harm done" Kyra answers, smiling sweetly.

"Kassandra was just saying how excited she was to see you so what a coincidence that you're the one she bumps into. How ironic, is it not?" Phaedra can feel Kassandra's glare burning into her the moment the words leave her mouth. Clearly none of what she's saying was technically true, but she did love to get a rise out of Kassandra and she knew about the two of them, you'd have to be blind not to.

"Yes, what ever could the odds be" Kassandra says between her gritted teeth, much to Phaedra's amusement.

It's not that Kassandra didn't want to see Kyra, but she tried to keep her distance from her in the daytime to keep boundaries between them. The less time they had in contact with each other during the day, the better in Kassandra's mind as she didn't want to give the wrong impression.

Kyra on the other hand was not a fool and she certainly wasn't blind. She could feel the discomfort radiating from Kassandra at the implication that they would spend time together. It hurt, it truly hurt, but she would not let it show. Instead, she would swallow down her pride as she cared for Kassandra, but she couldn't force her to return the feelings. All Kyra wanted to do was spend time with Kassandra as she found her so fascinating and refreshing, but it was clear that Kassandra was still apprehensive about her so she would not force something that wasn't there. It was a good thing she actually had something she wanted to do and could use it as an out.

"I am equally pleased to bump into you too Kassandra, but I will bid you both a good day and I wish you both well" Kyra excused herself rather vaguely, but it would hurt her worse to force Kassandra to spend time with her as she knew if she asked, Kassandra would.

"Oh," is all Kassandra's able to say at first as she did not see this outcome coming as Kyra has told her prior that she had the day off, "I thought you had a free day today?"

Kyra should've expected this as Kassandra is never one to take anything at face value so of course something vague would capture her attention. She didn't want to be rude, but she also didn't wish for this to get uncomfortable and drag on as Kyra didn't owe it to her to give an explanation.

"I do," Kyra answers, offering no further elaboration, "I do hope you both enjoy the rest of your day." With that, Kyra gives a slight nod towards them before turning to walk away.

Once Kyra was out of earshot, Kassandra turns to Phaedra, mouth slightly agape. "Did she just brush me off?"

Phaedra knew full well that's exactly what happened as Kyra's body language registered as "uncomfortable" upon Kassandra's forced answer. Kyra was too smart to have not caught on to this so she played it very well and handled it maturely. Kassandra on the other hand, well, let's just say this area isn't her strong point.

"She did" Phaedra responds, deciding to not spell it out for Kassandra. She had to learn and navigate her own mistakes.

"I didn't want to go with her anyway, but I thought she would have at least asked for my company" Kassandra says, slightly offended by Kyra's dismissal.

"Do you think, just maybe, she picked up on the fact that you didn't want her here?" Phaedra prods, hoping Kassandra would come to the right conclusion.

"That is ridiculous," Kassandra brushes Phaedra's idea off, "you had just told her I was excited to see her so would that not indicate just the opposite of what you're saying?"

Phaedra just rolls her eyes at the response as it's clear Kassandra isn't putting it together quite yet. "Regardless of what I think about what just happened, you should be relieved because you don't have to have that time with her. Wasn't that your hope?"

"Well yeah, I guess" Kassandra responds, less sure of herself than before.

Deciding to play devil's advocate, Phaedra pushes Kassandra just a bit more. "You sure were pretty confident a few minutes ago so what changed? Decide you maybe want to see her when she's not under the shroud of darkness?"

"That's not it you malaka" Kassandra sneers as she nudges Phaedra's arm to show her displeasure.

"Then what is it?" Phaedra continues to push. "Seems like you've gotten in a rotten mood awfully quick for someone who doesn't want to care."

Kassandra has had just about of this as it was clear Phaedra didn't want to offer her anything constructive today. "You know nothing of my mood and you know nothing of Kyra and I."

It was clear Phaedra had touched upon a sore spot for Kassandra and that their conversation would only get worse if they remained together so they needed to get some space between them. "You're right, I don't, because you've made it pretty clear that she's nothing more to you than someone to keep a bed warm so what would I know? Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Phaedra turns her back on Kassandra and goes to tend to the Ibex hanging from their hook. Kassandra takes the hint and begins to walk off in the same direction Kyra went off moments before. Kassandra wouldn't follow her per say, but she was curious to know what she had rejected Kassandra's presence for.

It doesn't take her long to find her, but it is the most peculiar of sights. There was a makeshift ring built along one of the roads and a small crowd of people witnessing the spectacle. Kassandra didn't think this kind of entertainment was common, but at least it kept their skills sharp and passed the time. There were wooden sticks being used as swords and there were two men fighting as if their lives depended on it. It was clear this was all for fun as the men would jest with each other between swings, but she still didn't understand what it was for.

Soon after one of the men yielded, another stepped in to face the victor and the cycle continued. Apparently there was a prize of some sort she gathered after asking a few of the patrons, but none seemed to want to give her the time of day when there was something to watch.

The longest streak would be declared the winner and they had until sundown. So far, the most victories in a row was seven and it was clear that the current fighter was feeling pretty good about himself until a unanimous gasp is heard from the crowd.

Wanting a better look, Kassandra cuts into the crowd to see what the fuss is about when she realizes the next challenger for this man is none other than Kyra herself.

She is almost unrecognizable as she had stripped herself down to the most basic of her clothing (as most of the men also had very minimal clothing) as it was rather muddy terrain. It is clear she's paying no attention to the crowd and Kassandra can feel the shift from casual to serious in an instance. For Kyra to lose in such a public setting would be a blow to her hold as a leader and everyone here knew that. Even for fun, she couldn't afford to lose.

Kassandra finds herself entranced by the fluidity of Kyra's movements, even in less than hospitable terrain. The mud makes keeping a pace challenging, but you could see nothing but determination etched across Kyra's face.

Kassandra, recognizing that look all to well, knew that her opponent didn't stand a chance. Kyra was an amazing fighter and she was incredibly unpredictable which make targeting a weakness isn't her almost impossible. The look she was sporting was that of a confidence only a few could successfully emit. Kyra had found her opponents weakness and was waiting to strike. Kassandra shifted her focus to the opponent and within a handful of seconds realized what Kyra saw.

The man favored his left leg which indicated an issue with his right one (either preexisting or fresh) and that if Kyra were to attack at him from the left, he'd be forced to put additional pressure on his right leg. Sure enough, Kyra targets his left side and had the man is on his back before Kyra even breaks a sweat.

"I yield" the crowd hears as the current champion is dethroned and Kyra becomes the newest contender.

Kyra was granted a courtesy thirty seconds before the next challenger approached and it was over almost as soon as it started. Kyra was catching up to the lead fairly steadily and the more men Kyra took down, the less anyone wanted to volunteer.

It was clear that Kyra knew exactly what she was doing and she did it with ease, even though Kassandra knew she was getting tired as her breathing was more labored. She had been able to tie it, but nobody else would step forward for her to take the victory. The only way she could win was if she surpassed the seven her predecessor set, tying it would result in her having to forfeit.

Kyra really wanted to win this for whatever reason and Kassandra could tell Kyra was getting frustrated that it would end here. Well, at least it would unless Kassandra had anything to say about it.

Kassandra steps towards the ring and begins to remove her armor as she would play by their rules here, no matter how barbaric they were. Kassandra removes her spear and holds her hand, palm side up, silently requesting a stick. Within seconds she feels the wood pressed firmly into her skin. She grips the stick tightly and gives it a few practice swings to get the feel of it.

If Kyra was surprised by this challenge, she didn't let it show. Instead of the usual warmth of Kyra's gaze towards Kassandra, all she can see now is indifference. Kyra was taking her very seriously and so Kassandra would do the same.

The two women clash and they move with skill and years of practice under their belts. Each woman having a completely unique style, but when pitted against each other, proved to be evenly matched. Both women trading blows relentlessly, not holding back, even when they made contact. Kassandra was sure she would have some bruising on her jaw from where Kyra was able to land a lucky shot, but she also could see a few purple spots along Kyra's arms.

Neither woman showed any signs of slowing down and it got so intense that the crowd began to place bets on who would be victorious. It was clear that this would be the final fight as nobody in the crowd was stupid enough to go up against either woman, no matter who won. 

Kassandra could tell Kyra's earlier battles were starting to wear down her endurance as Kassandra could feel her reactions getting slower. 

"You know," Kassandra huffs between hits, "you can just yield if you're too tired."

"Sounds like someone is reaching a bit don't you think?" Kyra responds as she lands a hit to Kassandra's kneecap.

"You forget just who I am" Kassandra replies with a renewed sense of confidence. "I am Kassandra, the Mighty Eagle Bearer. I yield to nobody."

"And I am Kyra, leader of the rebellion and of the Silver Islands" Kyra offers up in return. "These are just titles at the end of the day."

"There is still no shame in admitting defeat Kyra" Kassandra presses as she tried to mentally wear Kyra down.

Kyra, however, had already caught on to Kassandra's tactics and has decided to play into them for the moment. Kyra knew the moment Kassandra stepped into the ring what her weakness was (or at least, what she'd hoped). Kyra, although still hurt by Kassandra earlier, still believed that Kassandra's feelings for her ran deeper than she admitted. Kyra would try to use this to her advantage as Kassandra becomes easier to telegraph when she is jealous. It's not even fighting dirty at this point because Kassandra would have to admit she had feelings towards her and that would never happen.

Kassandra's movements would become predictable and her focus gets pulled from the fight and that would only be a benefit. If Kyra was able to get such a distraction from her, she could get her victory and have the added bonus of knocking her down a peg or two. Armed with a stick and a grin, Kyra sets it all into motion.

One of her prior opponents is watching nearby and is very underdressed as his minor wounds are being tended too. All she has to do was wait for the stall point as after fifteen minutes pass, if there is no victor, there is a small break before it resumes again. The pattern would keep up for three rounds until a winner was declared or the time elapsed and it became a stalemate. All she had to do was parry and dodge for just a little longer and she could pay the wounded man some extra attention.

About three minutes later a bell is rung and they both are sent across from each other for that rest period. Kassandra didn't have anyone here in support so she just paced, but Kyra knew each and every face here and knew more about them all than she honestly cared for. For now though, it would actually come into use as the man she's approaching is an infamous womanizer so she won't even have to put in much work before he completely takes over.

Kyra can feel Kassandra's eyes on her so there would be no time like the present to get this moving. If Kassandra could (and had previously done) this to her, it's fair play.

"Aristodemos, I'm so glad you're still here" Kyra shares as she leans forward to place her hand on his exposed chest. "I fight better knowing that someone worthwhile is looking on."

Kyra honestly wants to gag with what she's just said as it couldn't be further from the truth, but no pain, no gain.

"Kyra, I am pleased you seeked me out, I had hoped for some time to speak with you" Aristodemos answers as he straightens up his posture, not wanting to look weak with Kyra so close.

"I just couldn't bear the thought that I had harmed you and I needed to see for myself that you were ultimately uninjured. I was not proud that I had placed a blemish on you" Kyra exaggerates as she gentle traces over a bruise running along his jawline. Mid motion she gently turns her head towards Kassandra and can see that it is working as desired. She doesn't linger long, but she can see Kassandra's grip tighten on the stick and she's pacing faster than before.

Kyra and Aristodemos exchange a few more pleasantries, Kyra reaching out to touch him at every opportunity, before they are called back. They both enter back in the ring and Kyra makes sure that she positions herself so that she can send a wink his direction while having Kassandra in a clear view as well.

Once the bell rings, Kyra snaps her attention back to Kassandra and they begin again, almost deadlocked the entire fifteen minutes until the bell rings once more. Kyra knew she still didn't have her yet, although she was making progress as their entire bout Kassandra remained silent and didn't even make a single smart comment.

Kyra, again, returns to Aristodemos and she listens as he tells a clearly false tale of his prowess and she pretends to eat up every word. She keeps her back to Kassandra, but she can just feel the intensity being sent her direction. She's ignoring it for now as her attention needs to appear to be on him for this to work so for the small break, he is the most interesting man she's ever encountered and the funniest too, as she forces out small laughs that are too small to be obvious, but loud enough to gather some attention.

The bell rings for the second time and Kyra decides to not give Kassandra her full attention in here anymore. They are too evenly matched and unless some glaringly obvious mistake is made, this would for sure end in a stalemate. She pays just enough attention to not get whacked across the face as Kassandra has apparently decided it's no longer off limits, but not enough so that Kassandra can easily see that her thoughts are elsewhere. 

Kyra hadn't done much in terms of offense as she's just biding her time, but this was not something Kassandra knew and it had finally eaten at her enough to comment.

"You do know you're actually supposed to swing at me, right? Or do you just want to get hit?" Kassandra says in a mocking tone as she continues to press forward.

"I suppose" was all Kyra responded back with as she keeps pace and continues to block every swing Kassandra makes. Kyra can see the hits getting more wild, a greater force behind them, meaning she would have her opening soon.

Kassandra grunted towards Kyra at her nonchalant approach to this and Kyra could hear the irritation in her voice when she spoke next.

"Care to take your eyes off from Adonis over there and actually give me a good fight?" Kassandra asked, clearly irritated she was no longer Kyra's focus.

"No, but thank you for asking." Kyra quips back. "Have you even seen abs like that on another person before?" Continuing her ruse to not lose the momentum.

"It's not even remotely impressive" Kassandra answers quickly, attempting to shut down the conversation.

"You say that and yet I can't stop staring. I wonder if he'd let me feel them?" Kyra speaks it as if it was rhetorical.

"That man is average at best and that's me being generous" Kassandra answers as they continue to spar.

Unbeknownst to Kassandra, she had set Kyra up for the perfect retaliation and it would be timed perfectly before the sound of the last grace period.

"I bet nothing about him is average" Kyra says suggestively as she glances his way. "I think I want to find out."

The third bell rings and Kassandra angrily steps back, being forced to withhold her comments.

Kyra saunters off with a smile and goes towards her newest fixation and knows this is her last chance to get Kassandra to make a mistake. He speaks and she listens as they did the prior round but before the bell rings to resume the final round of the evening, Kyra decides to be bold.

"You know Aristodemos, I think you are my good luck charm" Kyra admits to him as if it were a secret. "How about a kiss for good luck?" As she points to her cheek.

His eyes go wide at the request, but he happily agrees and leans in to give Kyra a kiss on the lips instead. Kyra, not wanting this to turn into anything of a larger scandal, tilts her head towards him so that he lands on her cheek at the last moment like she'd asked, but to anyone far enough back (like Kassandra), you would not be able to tell it wasn't on the lips. Kyra quickly steps away from him and walks back towards the ring and she can tell by Kassandra's body language that Kassandra is fuming.

Her nostrils are flaring and her footsteps are much heavier with every step as if she was stomping, but not so obviously. Her posture was tense and stiff and she had a scowl so intense that it would probably give her wrinkles if she held it long enough. This was exactly what Kyra was hoping to see and now she was hoping she could capitalize to not have all this incessant flirting be for nothing. It's not that Aristodemos was ugly or a crude man, but he had an almost similar reputation to Kassandra's, but with half the charm. Besides, he just wasn't her type, but it wasn't something Kassandra needed to know right now, if ever.

The final bell rings and Kyra remains on the defensive still as Kassandra is being much more aggressive with her strikes. Kassandra is hitting hard enough that Kyra has a much harder time stopping it without having to take a step back, but with a hard hit, Kassandra is exposing herself more often. Kassandra's footwork was also becoming sloppy so Kyra decided to focus on getting her to stumble. 

"I have to say Kassandra, you lasted longer than I expected you to" Kyra offers up the friendly banter to see if Kassandra would take the bait. She was not disappointed.

"I bet your man Adonis over there hears that all the time" Kassandra snarks back as she laughs at her own joke.

Hubris was a cruel trait and it almost never ended up being anything of benefit for the person it is in reference of. For Kassandra, that means that her desire to put him down to make herself feel better only was setting her up for something worse.

Kyra seizes the opportunity and rushes in real close as the hold each other off in a standoff. Teeth gritted at the force put between them, but Kyra has the mental game all but executed at this point as she knows her final line will be the difference maker.

Looking Kassandra in the eyes, Kyra smirks and leans her face in close so she's able to drop her voice at a whisper. "I'll let you know once I find out."

Kassandra's face flashes a multitude of emotions at once, trying to register what Kyra had just implied. Kyra, on the other hand, wasted no time taking advantage of this distraction by swiping Kassandra's legs out beneath her, causing her to fall flat on her back. It all happens so fast that Kassandra's not even sure what happened until Kyra stands over her with the stick to her throat.

That was it. This was the game point.

Kyra just smiles sweetly down to Kassandra before the crowd erupts in a cheer for their leaders victory with her eighth win. Kyra tosses the stick and offers a hand to Kassandra. Her hand is taken, but it is clear Kassandra is not pleased at all by what happened, especially her losing. The grip is firm and is gone as quickly as it came as Kassandra released her as soon as she was upright.

"Thank you Kassandra, you were a most worthy opponent" Kyra says honestly as she wasn't sure they'd have a clear winner if left unattended.

"Sure" was all Kyra got in response before Kassandra turned to walk away from her towards the rest of the crowd. 

Kyra reaches out to grab her, but stops short of actually making contact and lowers her hand back to her side. As much as Kyra wanted to console Kassandra, she'd only make it worse when Kassandra was in a brooding mood and Kyra hadn't technically done anything wrong. Kassandra was the one who wanted to make this casual, not her. Kassandra was the one who wanted to not be limited, not her.

"It is a time to celebrate our new champion!" A man yells from the crowd, gaining everyone's attention. "To the tavern for drinks!" 

Kyra couldn't protest and, even if she did, it wouldn't be of use as she'd still be forced to go. Good news for her is that she could use a drink or two to help wash down everything that happened today. The crowd moves in sync and Kyra spots Kassandra still among them so that was a plus. She half expected her to leave immediately, but it seems she's made a few friends during her stay. It warms her to see Kassandra so accepted in her home. It's not that Kassandra would ever stay for anyone, but seeing her like this, with her people, made it hard to not envision this for the future.

Kyra tries to shake off the thoughts as it would only lead to her getting her heart broken again as thinking of anything long term with Kassandra was just asking for problems. Which is why it's so unfortunate that it's all she's wanting to think about. She wants to see Kassandra mingle within the walls of the city, she wants to see her banter with her friends over drinks. She wants to see her feel at ease and at peace, as if the world isn't falling on her shoulders. Most of all, she just wants to see her and have her present. 

Kyra wants more than anything for Kassandra to stay as she brings to life a part of Kyra that she didn't even know existed. Kassandra sparks something inside her and she's terrified yet enthralled at the same time. Kassandra is as dangerous as a flames as she has the ability to burn everything you've ever known and loved down to a pile of ash with the blink of an eye. She was wild and thrived when moving and, if left unchecked, could ignite any place she touched. She also was beautiful, enchanting to watch, as if her very presence lured you in. She provides a warmth that will warm you to your core on the coldest days and protect you from the elements. She was mystifying and Kyra didn't know whether she should stay back and watch or if she should tempt the fates and try to tame the wildfire. Realizing her mind is too far gone, she allows herself to watch Kassandra and bask in her from a distance as now was not the time to be near. 

Kyra learned early that Kassandra should never be cornered or else she lashes out as if she were a wild animal. Meaning now that if Kyra attempted to talk to Kassandra and discuss what they were to each other, Kassandra would feel suffocated and pressured which would lead to losing her as fast as she got her. For now, Kyra knew she had to suffer in silence and watch as Kassandra laughs with the other women, flirts with other women, and even touches other women.

This only amplified once everyone got settled in the tavern, Kassandra taking the furthest spot from Kyra possible. Kassandra had a reputation and here was no different so it only took a few seconds before the women flocked to be near. It sickened Kyra to no end, but she had agreed to Kassandra's terms so she needed to deal with it. Didn't mean she had to like it though so she called for her second round.

Kyra was no lightweight, but even she knew that it would hit her eventually at the rate she'd been putting them down. She's never allowed herself to lose control in a public setting before, but seeing Kassandra with other woman just boiled her blood so she drank to alleviate it. The more alcohol she drank, the less it hurt and that was all she wanted at this point. It's all rather sad in hindsight, but her heart was sensitive and it beat only for Kassandra whether she liked it or not. Being numb helped ease the pain, but it only made her feelings worse as she indulged enough to wallow privately over how everything has spiraled. 

Not wanting to let Kassandra have all the fun, Kyra searched the room for Aristodemos as she was sure he could help her with something. She wasn't sure yet if she just wanted his attention or if she actually wanted him, but that would be a dilemma for her future self, for now, she just wanted to feel appreciated.

"Congratulations Kyra on your victory," Aristodemos offers as he lifts up her hand to place a tender kiss on it, "it couldn't have gone to a more beautiful flower."

Kyra felt as if she wanted to roll her eyes at the comparison, but she refrained as he meant well. Instead, she offers him a smile as she takes a seat next to him. The two talk about anything and everything and it mostly is Kyra listening and it would bother her more if she were sober at how he tends to cut her off, but for now, she couldn't care less. He tells his tales and Kyra feigns an interest for an hour at least, but she knows they all pale in comparison to those Kassandra had shared with her before. She just has to come to terms that he isn't Kassandra, but that he could possibly be the next best thing if she tried hard enough.

Kyra felt a little desperate as she just wanted someone to care for her right now, but it seemed that it just was never meant to be for her. Thaletas disappeared without a trace and Kassandra was present, but distant and she's not sure which one was worse. Both had to be a reflection of herself and it was beginning to wear at her deep down. She would always put on a stoic face as her personal problems should never interfere with her responsibility to her people, but in moments like this, she wasn't anyone's leader, she was just a regular person with regular problems.

Her self loathing was interrupted by the feel of a hand caressing her outer thigh as Aristodemos must've taken her silence as compliance. He is still speaking to her, but she's having a hard time understanding what he's saying as he's also quite inebriated so his words were slurring. She's also had a few too many, but isn't quite at the level of drunk (but it's pretty borderline) so she's probably not paying as much attention to what he's saying as she should.

Kyra can feel his hands grow bolder as he reaches a bit higher up onto her leg and gently caresses her inner thigh with his thumb. She pretends to not notice as she's not sure what she wants right now. A part of her just wants to hide away the rest of this night under a blanket, allowing her unshed tears a chance to be free, but the other part of her wants to feel the passion, even if it isn't love. She either wants to fill the void, even temporarily, or she wants to allow herself to fall deeper into it.

Kyra looks up to meet his eyes and it is clear what his intentions are, but she's finding it harder to keep herself focused. If by a stoke of pity from the gods, the last remaining sober bit of logic she still has kicks in and cautions her to not allow herself to be with someone who is essentially a stranger at this time. Deciding she's not in the right mindset to enjoy such an act, she wills her body to reject the advance and she moves his hand away from her.

Unfortunately, this does not deter him as he places his hand back on her with more force this time and begins to try to lift up the fabric of her peplos and leans in. "I think we should head upstairs to finish this conversation" he whispers and Kyra becomes more assured that this isn't what she wants.

"Aristodemos," Kyra speaks tenderly in hopes of letting him down gently, "you have been wonderful company, but I have drank too much and should retire home as I have much to do tomorrow."

Not wanting to prolong this anymore than necessary, Kyra tries to rise from her seat, but feels a strong hand sit her back into place. Aristodemos had moved his hand to her shoulder and begins to slowly caress her cheek before he leans in for a kiss.

Kyra closes her eyes and waits for the inevitable kiss that was sure to follow his action, but after a moment, she realizes that there is somebody pressed up against her side and it was not him. She opens her eyes to see Kassandra standing defensively between them, as if she's protecting her from him.

Aristodemos is stunned by the sudden appearance of the Eagle Bearer as he was sure he would've sealed the deal if given another moment alone with Kyra. Irritated by the intrusion, he let's Kassandra have a piece of his mind.

"Excuse me, but you're interrupting a very private conversation so it is best of you leave" he commands, his voice slurring, but Kassandra remains steadfast. 

Instead of leaving, she turns her back towards him and focuses her attention to the inebriated Kyra. "How about we get you home, would you like to leave?" Kassandra asks so sweetly that it's hard to remember that they're not on the best of terms.

"I would like to go home please" Kyra answers and that was all Kassandra needed to hear as she turns around and offers out her arm so Kyra could stand up.

Aristodemos, visibly upset by this intrusion, steps into Kassandra's personal space and stands face to face with her. "You have some nerve interrupting us like that" his tone threatening as he inches closer, removing all but an inch between them.

Kassandra was going to just ignore him as her focus was getting Kyra far away from this creep as fast as possible and teaching this man a lesson would only delay them. It wasn't until the moment his finger pressed against Kassandra's shoulder that she decided she could make a detour. Not wanting to knock Kyra over as she clung heavily to Kassandra's left arm, she adjusts her grip so that her hand is holding onto her more firmly. Once Kassandra is satisfied that Kyra won't lose her balance, she uses her right hand to make quick work of his hand, snapping his wrist as if it were nothing.

He immediately recoils his hand and cradles it to his body, hissing in pain. Kassandra opts to follow this with a headbutt, knocking the man unconscious. Kassandra felt the sting and could feel the blood trickling from her nose as it wasn't a clean hit as Aristodemos turned ever so slightly that her nose caught his cheek, but the satisfaction she felt from shutting him up more than made up for it.

He slumps to the floor and Kassandra turns to Kyra to find her eyes wide, processing how everything unfolded. Wordlessly, Kassandra motions for them to leave as she uses her free hand to wipe the blood from her face. Kyra doesn't say anything, but complies and the two make their way through the crowd that pays them no mind towards home. Kassandra ignores the prying eyes looking at the two of them once they enter through the front door and carefully leads Kyra upstairs to her room. 

Kyra releases her tight hold, noting an imprint of her palm on Kassandra's arm where she gripped, but it didn't seem to bother Kassandra. The past twenty minutes or so had passed by in a blur as one moment she was being felt up by Aristodemos and the next Kassandra had broken his hand and headbutted him so that he fell unconscious. Kyra couldn't fully remember why it all transpired like that, but what she did know is that Kassandra would not harm someone innocent unless she was provoked so he probably deserved it. Kassandra hadn't spoken a word to her since she asked if she wanted to leave and Kyra didn't know if she was grateful or resentful for the silence. As much as Kassandra infuriated her, she also found ways to surprise her and she's not sure if she could come up with the words she wants to.

Kyra feels more sober now that she's had the walk with the fresh air and thinks she probably could've made it back without assistance, but Kassandra's presence is still a welcomed one. Kyra looks up at her and notices her nose is still bleeding a bit from her hit earlier so she tests out her stability by standing up. Feeling stable enough, she makes her way to her desk where there is a bowl of water and a cloth for her to clean up before bed. Not trusting herself enough to not drop the bowl, she breaks their silence.

"Come here please so I can clean you up" Kyra requests softly as she knows Kassandra would be able to still hear her.

Kassandra complies by stepping closer to the desk and taking a seat on the chair that Kyra had pulled out for her. 

The water is cold at this point, but it will still be just as effective in cleaning off the dried blood and providing something soothing for what must be throbbing and bothering her. Kassandra rarely admitted to feeling pain and Kyra believed that she couldn't be fully human with the amount of injuries she's seen her with and how little it fazed Kassandra. The woman was something of legends and she'd made a believer out of Kyra.

Dipping the cloth into the water, Kyra gently dabbed at and around Kassandra's nose. The bleeding had seemed to stop for the most part which was a good sign, but she could already see the beginning of a bruise that would soon form across the bridge of her nose. Kyra couldn't help but cup Kassandra's face as she gingerly wiped away the last remaining evidence. Kyra tentatively runs her thumb across Kassandra's cheek and she could swear she feels Kassandra leaning into her touch.

There was so much that Kyra needed to say, but with Kassandra resting in her hand, she couldn't bring herself to want to break the moment. Morning would come and with it meant the end of what they had, at least for now. Kassandra would depart for Delos on her quest, but Kyra would be damned if she let her go alone. They were better together and Kyra would just have to prove it.


	9. No Suitcase (Cancer)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back for the next installment!
> 
> This chapter was difficult to write at first as I just couldn't figure out the flow of where I wanted to go for weeks, but random inspiration struck and what was only 1k turned into a 14k fic over a weekend! 
> 
> It was so massive that I decided to break it up into two chapters so this is part 1 of 2 as they both were intended to be together. Due to the sheer size of it, I opted to cut it into two pieces and just go into a bit more detail for both, but this pair is by far my favorite scenes I've written for this story and my second favorite after the dream sequence in my first fic. There is way more action than I've ever done before in any of my stories and I really think you're all going to love this! 
> 
> If I can get chapter 11 written between now and Wednesday, I'll release chapter 10 (part 2) early on either Wednesday evening or Thursday at some point so you don't have to wait.
> 
> As always, please comment as I love hearing your feedback and I absolutely want to know how you all felt about this.
> 
> Karmin - No Suitcase (Cancer)  
> https://youtu.be/ErbLGk1ZG_c

Kyra awoke late with a bit of a headache, but not as bad as it could've been considering how much she had to drink. She slowly sits up to get a bearing on herself and recalls the events of last night.

Kassandra had hung around for a while after she had cleaned her up before excusing herself for the night. Kyra didn't want her to go, but Kassandra would never take advantage of her like that, especially when she was borderline drunk so she understood. Instead, the two spoke about nothing in particular for a few hours as they lay in her bed. 

Kyra relished in the feel of Kassandra as she was pressed into her side, arm placed over Kassandra's stomach. She knew she shouldn't feel possessive, but her mind was always put at ease when Kassandra was with her and not someone else. Kyra had seen the attention she got last night and Kassandra wouldn't have been sleeping alone, that's for sure so it made her presence only the sweeter.

Kyra didn't expect Kassandra at all and she especially did not expect for her to swoop in and save her from an uncomfortable situation that she would have regretted the next day. Kassandra had a way of just making herself present in the most opportune of times and it has saved Kyra on more than one occasion. If Kyra was a betting woman (and she was always willing to gamble) she'd say Kassandra had an attune sense to know when people needed help. Kassandra tries to play it off as coincidence, but they happen far too frequently for it to continue being called that. Kassandra has helped numerous people on this island just because she happened to nearby when something went awry and Kassandra may place that up to random chance, but Kyra wouldn't.

Speaking of Kassandra, she needed to find her as Kyra was not about to let her do all this by herself. It would be one thing if she was going far away, but these are her islands and she'd be damned if she was just going to sit back and let this all unfold right under her nose. Odds are good Kassandra was already on Delos since Kyra herself got a very late start, but Kyra was confident she could find her. True, it had been year since she'd stepped up to run the island and placed her old life behind her, but she was still confident in her abilities and that she'd find Kassandra before she got in over her head or before she disappeared.

Kassandra, true to Kyra's prediction, was nowhere as Kyra took a precursory walk around, asking of Kassandra's whereabouts, but all came up short and nobody had seen her. Kyra really didn't think she would have been seen as Kassandra had a habit of cutting off all forms of communication the day of her departure, at least that's what Kyra assumed based off personal experience. Kyra hadn't expected her to leave for Delos until late in the evening though, but she could've gone early to ensure her position which would be just like Kassandra to do. That woman left nothing to chance if she could help it. 

Kyra had only one task to finish before she could depart as she had warned Praxos of her absence for an undetermined amount of time and that he would be in charge of the everyday running’s in her absence. He had seemed grateful and humbled by Kyra's faith in him and as impulsive as he could be sometimes, she had her own flaws so he wouldn't be judged by his own. She hadn't expected to be longer than a week, but she was not about to limit herself if this turned out to be larger and more complicated than Kassandra believed so she advised him of such. She would do what she had to and if that meant culling this untouchable cult until it was a husk then by the gods she would do it.

It did strike her at how displeased Kassandra would be by the intrusion so she knew she had to wait until there was no choice but to accept that she was tagging along. Was this the right thing to do? Maybe. Was this a healthy way to think? Probably not. Did she care? Absolutely not. Similar to Kassandra (although not as extreme in Kyra's own opinion), Kyra could be stubborn too and when her mind is set to something, she'll be hard pressed to deviate from it.

It was honestly the smarter decision in Kyra's mind anyway as they'd be a team to handle whatever was thrown against them and two was always better than one. As much as Kassandra played the lone wolf, it could do her some good to know what it's like to work as a team and consider someone else for once. Kyra wonders how many close calls Kassandra's been in because it was only her. She truly doesn't want to think about it as even the mere hypothetical causes her discomfort. She couldn't bear the thought of Kassandra being in harm's way (even though this was a regular occurrence) and it just would cause her to worry prematurely.

It was no matter as even if Kassandra said no to her again and declined her presence, she was still going anyway and she would just do it alone. Now that she knew about the threat, she could not just remain dormant and allow someone else to solve her problems. It's not that she didn't trust Kassandra, because she did without a doubt, but she also knew Kassandra had her own personal agenda and that what was best for her may not be what's best for Mykonos. She will ensure the right thing is done, even if it comes at a personal cost.

Kassandra had decided to get an early start as she wanted to speak with Kepheus to see if he's got any good news for her, but she got caught by a woman who needed her help so she was delayed by a few hours. She had done her best to stay out of the town and away from the crowds, but this woman was somehow able to not only find her, but talk her into a menial task for hours.

She was anxious to get this trip started as the waiting around was driving her mad, but she was not cold enough to turn away a cry for help. Sure, she generally found ways to keep herself occupied, but there was nothing like the thrill of what she’s about to do. The thrill of the hunt was very real and it gave Kassandra an adrenaline rush like no other. She didn’t always go looking for trouble, but when she did, you could guarantee it’d be a sight to see.

She had made her way to the tavern which appeared to be closed which was odd given that the sun was beginning to set and these kinds of places are always open around this time. She decided to take a peek around to see if she could find him, or anyone really, to see what was going on, but it was as if everything was eerily quiet. Figuring it was worth a try anyway, Kassandra tries the front door and, as expected, it was locked so she made her way around the property to try to find him. 

There was what appeared to be an extension added on for a makeshift living quarter so odds would be good he’d be in there. There were also some wooden boards leaning up against the small add on, but the placement of them seemed as if they were blocking something. It looked almost like an afterthought as it was leaning oddly against the wall and there is no way these beams would work as anything as they looked to be a bit rotted. What ever could these be here for? How would they even work? The way they leaned did leave an opening that Kassandra could make out.

The more Kassandra moves around, the more suspicious she becomes as there seems to be signs of a fight here as she can see specks of blood splattered around the wooden beams on her approach. She reaches for her spear as she continues her perimeter search, but finds nothing amiss anywhere else and there is still no sign of Kepheus. 

She makes her way back to the beams where she carefully removes them, revealing a broken door, pieces of it scattered on the ground inside. There also seemed to be a pool of blood just beyond the opening and if she wasn't alarmed before, this definitely sent of alarms that something was very, very wrong.

“Kepheus, are you in here?” Kassandra whispers as she’s not sure who’s going to be present. She holds her breath to listen, but she can't hear anything out of the ordinary.

She is about to step back when she hears a faint cough followed by the sounds of labored breathing. She knows she’s not alone anymore, but she’s not sure if it is Kepheus or his attacker. She lifts her spear and cautiously steps in, avoiding as much blood as possible as it makes her footing slippery. 

Each step she takes inward, the louder the breathing becomes until it suddenly ceases as if they were holding their breath. Kassandra does a precursory glance around the disheveled room and locates where she believes the breathing came from as most everything in here has been tossed over so there was only so many places one could hide.

Before her was a table flipped over onto its side with some sort of fabric covering the top two legs, shielding whomever was behind it from sight. It offered slight protection as this table was thick enough to withstand an arrow and most likely any initial swing from any known weapon, but it was not ideally placed.

Before she could think too long on the subject, a figure bursts from behind it with a yell. Kassandra, of course, was ready for this and she easily parried the blow before she knocked the weapon from the mans hands.

“Please, no more, please....just kill me already” she hears, the plea sounding desperate and strained.

Kassandra takes a harder look at the man in front of her and she can hardly recognize it as Kepheus as his face is completely bloody and swollen. He probably couldn’t even see her which is why he lashed out.

“Kepheus? Is that you? It’s me, Kassandra. We met two weeks ago" Kassandra says as she sheaths her spear and raises her hands up so he can see she is unarmed, well, so he maybe could see her unarmed.

“Ka...Kassandra?” Kepheus chokes out, his voice hoarse and raw.

“By the gods, what on earth happened to you? Who did this?” Kassandra questions, taking a few more steps into the room.

“It was…men…you...watching...” he begins, but his voice keeps fading in and out so Kassandra could only make out bits of what he was trying to say.

“What men? Who is watching you?” Kassandra keeps prodding, desperately wanting to know the culprits behind this.

Kepheus opens his mouth to respond, but instead of speaking, he collapses backwards and slams into the table before he descends to the floor. 

Kassandra rushes forward to aid him, but as soon as she tries to get him to stand, she can feel something sticky on her hands. She gently sets him back down and pulls her hands away to see them stained with blood. She looks up into his eyes and can see them beginning to gloss over. This meant if she didn’t move quick, his time on this earth would be over soon.

“Hold on Kepheus, I will not let you die like this" she assures and usually she would never intentionally lie to someone about something like this, but she liked him. Kassandra also wasn't sure where he was injured either and that would take time that he doesn't have, but she desperately needed him to live as she needed information.

She runs out of the broken entryway and crosses towards the front of the tavern. Squaring herself up, she places a strong kick right below the handle and the door offers almost no resistance as it snaps out of place and slams into the wall behind it. She'd pay for it later as neither she nor Kepheus had the luxury of time for her to try to lock pick. 

Kassandra isn’t too sure what he’s got in here, if anything, but most people who run taverns know to keep some handy equipment and spare wraps for the fights that go too far. Kassandra is hoping Kepheus is the same kind of cautious as the rest of them, but it's clear after a minute that he's not.

She just needs to buy enough time for them to get to a healer so she takes alcohol and every cloth she can see so that she can at least disinfect the wound and hopefully stop him from losing anymore blood. She was rushing so fast back to him that she almost missed the fact that they had company lurking about.

Almost.

The way the tavern was set up was that it was away from any populated area and there was only one road to enter by so it was well secluded. The position of this place also allowed for even the most brazen men to step forward before the sun even set to cause trouble as it would've had to have been daylight when this happened to him. Whoever it was, they didn't mess around and it was almost as of they wanted to be caught as there would be no way to prevent someone from just walking down here for a drink.

Kassandra almost trips over herself with how fast she stopped when she realized that things were not the way she'd left them only a few moments ago. 

The remaining beams had been knocked over and there were now footprints in the blood that she purposely avoided. Going through her mind, she quickly eliminates Kepheus as the perpetrator as he couldn't walk, yet alone displace anything in his current condition so there is at least one, if not more people here that she needs to deal with.

"Just great" Kassandra mumbles to herself as this was exactly what she needed. Of course things had to get complicated for her and of course there would be an additional set of danger added. Some stroke of luck she seemed to be having.

She retreats enough to be out of sight and summons Ikaros with the direction that he goes to the ship to try to get her help. He caws in agreement and takes to the sky while Kassandra gets closer to where Kepheus is. 

She is light on her feet as a rule (unless she's purposely stepping heavy out of spite) and it's something so second nature to her that she never even thinks about it unless she's in a critical situation. Now though, it becomes a very real forethought as it's very necessary for her to tread very carefully. If she doesn't want to be noticed, she can become a ghost and that's exactly what she needs to be here until she can gain a better insight on what's happening. 

Each step taken from then on was meticulously thought out as she made the tentative steps inside. She leans in the opening, just enough to get a quick look, and spots one man looming over Kepheus. If there are other men, they're out of her line of vision, but what she does see is that Kepheus doesn't have the time for her to be patient as the unknown man is holding a sword to his throat. Taking the risk, Kassandra leaps into the room and lands a solid blow to the back of the head of the man, dropping him to the floor. A follow up slice across his throat silences any call for help.

Kassandra looks down and it was clear that Kepheus was no longer conscious as a best case scenario and as she crouches in front of him to try to feel for a pulse, she realizes that she'd made a grave mistake. 

By the time she registered the sound behind her, it was too late and she gets hit in the back of the head with a broken version of one of the wooden beams, causing her to stumble forward. She was able to remain standing by some miracle, but she was unable to get her body to want to move and places a hand up to her temple as if it would fix her problems.

Kassandra can hear a ringing in her ears and she tries to shake her head to make it stop, but that only makes her dizzy. She also tries to blink furiously to remove the spots that have seemed to multiply in their intensity as everything had become so disorienting for her in a matter of seconds. 

All this time, unbeknownst to her, the man who struck her watches her, a sadistic look in his eyes and a smile that would make the hairs on your neck stand. He had a look of a mad man and Kassandra had no idea what hell was about to be unleashed upon her.

As she turns to get eyes back on the second attacker, he follows up with another swing, this time to her abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. The momentum of the swing knocks her head into the corner of the table, sending shooting pains throughout her whole body. There was enough speed from the fall where Kassandra knew it was going to bleed, but she didn't have time to dwell on this as there was an immediate threat she needed to handle.

She tried to stand up, but the man was relentless and she found that she was having a hard time even blocking his swings yet alone getting any momentum to stand up. 

"Shame," Kassandra hears the man say as he gloats, "I thought you of all people would put up a better fight, but you're nothing like Deimos unlike what the rumors say. You are pathetic."

"Fuck you" Kassandra spits out, but it was more for show as she knew she couldn't do much about him at this point and they both knew it.

Her carelessness would be her downfall and she didn't want this to be where she died, but it was looking pretty grim. Laying on the ground, on Delos, at a tavern covered in blood. It was not a hero's exit and it was not fitting for someone of her caliber. This couldn't be it and it wouldn't be if she could help it.

The man wears a maniacal grin as he sheaths his sword in favor of hand to hand combat. He shakes out his arms as he plans on finishing this with his bare hands and Kassandra feels a bit rattled by the gesture as it makes no sense. As much as she hates to admit it, he had the upper hand and this felt like a cocky move, something to gloat by.

"I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time" the man speaks low as he knows she's listening intently. "You may not remember me, but I remember you."

He takes the confused look on Kassandra's face as a sign he should continue.

"Of course you don't recognize me," he scoffs, "you were too busy slaughtering my crew to pay me any mind. Unlike you though, I never forget a face."

"Who are you?" Kassandra asks in genuine confusion as she doesn't remember him at all, nor what he's claiming she did.

"My old name isn't important, but my new name will be. You may call me the Eagle Killer" he answers with an intense and crazed look in his eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about" and Kassandra truly didn't, but maybe keeping him talking would help. "Where and when did this even take place?"

"Do you kill so many people that you can't even remember?" He asks rhetorically, his head shifting to the side as if he were appraising her. "Megaris, two years ago, you and your crew destroyed three of our ships and you single handedly killed thirty five of my men that same day."

Thirty five? That seems a bit much, but regardless of the number count, she at least remembered exactly what he is talking about. That's right before she met with her pater, the Wolf of Sparta, for the first time since he dropped both her and Alexios from Mount Taygetos all those years ago.

The man notices the look of recognition in her eyes as she pieces it all together.

"I survived you. Twice" he emphasizes by holding up two fingers her direction. "You sunk my ship and I was the only survivor. I managed to undo my armor before Poseidon claimed me and I washed ashore only to survive a stab wound from you when defending Megaris later that same day."

Kassandra looks on, not believing the absolute garbage luck she's been having lately because, of course she would create this enemy only to not be aware of their existence. Mercenaries make no friends, but they had no problems with making enemies so it came with the territory, but this was different. This was about a war and her picking a side and war was nothing, if not only, a giant grudge festering under the surface until it explodes.

"I can see it in your eyes that you remember it" his tone getting angrier each sentence. "You killed my brother and my best friend. You ruined my life and now, for your last moments in this world, I am going to make you feel unspeakable pain."

He takes a few steps forward to bridge the gap between them so Kassandra musters what she can of her strength and kicks him, hard, in the shin. It wasn't hard enough though as it only seemed to make him angrier as he showed no signs of slowing down in the slightest. Before she knows it, she's being yanked up from the floor by her throat and being pinned against the wall. 

This man was no average man as he lifted her with an ease that only larger men could do and he tossed her around like a ragdoll. Every time she tried to fight back, it was to no avail as she must've hit her head harder than she thought as she couldn't make her body move to match what she wanted to do. It was causing her to be disoriented and it was messing with what she could actually see. Her mind was playing tricks on her as he would appear to be in striking distance only for her to swing and get nothing but air. Her outlook grew dimmer each hit she took.

It was becoming difficult for her to stand without holding onto something, but it seemed this "Eagle Killer" was in a mood to play. Kassandra would take the hits as there wasn't anything else she could do. One strike knocked her onto some shatter remnants of what appeared to be a vase, causing several lacerations across her left side. The pain was almost enough to overtake her into unconsciousness, but she couldn't lose focus now or she truly would be dead. What she really needed was a miracle.

The man grabs Kassandra by the hair and tosses her into the pool of blood she's been desperately trying to avoid. Before she can roll out of it, he comes up quick behind her and places his boot on the back of her head, forcing her into the small puddle.

Kassandra tries to wiggle out of his hold, but he's too strong and she can feel herself running out of oxygen as she desperately tries to not breathe as all she'd get would be blood.

Kassandra had never felt this way before in her life. A shortness of breath, light headedness, pain encompassing almost every muscle in her body, and a general helplessness that she'd never felt before. She was almost positive she was going to die here and she was becoming more ok with the idea the more this torture went on. She just wanted it to stop. 

"I hope you rot in Hades for all of eternity Eagle Bearer!" He shouts and Kassandra can hear enough to know that her time was up. This was it.

It was as if the gods themselves listened to her pleas for help because she felt the weight of his boot release from her head, but never felt its return. She gasps up for air as she couldn't take it anymore and for whatever reason, he had let her be for a moment. She couldn't see a thing due to her blurry vision though and the fact that blood was covering her eyes didn't help either, but she could hear muffled sounds as she tried to move to a corner so she could use it to stand.

Kassandra could hear shattering, but was at a loss for what was happening. Had Kepheus become conscious and come to her aid? That was the only explanation as they were the only one's out here and Kassandra knew it wasn't her causing this distraction.

She finally is able to feel a wall and she slides herself so that she's sitting upright with her back pressed against the cool surface as she tries to stand. She fails, continuously, and when she tries to use her hands, they only slide off due to her being soaked in blood so there's no place on her to dry them off. Whatever is going on, she's going to have to fight from down here.

Kassandra feels a presence before her so she blindly swings her fist as her spear had been removed from her possession during one of the manhandling sessions. She connects with something, a face perhaps, and she tries to find her second wind. 

All she can hear is the incessant ringing in her head and her heart pumping with adrenaline, her chest pumping. She's not aware of the voice that speaks her name as she continues to throw punches, too far gone to understand. Kassandra can feel them being deflected, but none are being thrown her way, but she persists.

She has, by some grace, managed to stand so she vigorously wipes at her eyes to try to see who is in front of her. She doesn't want to hurt him if it's Kepheus, but she also doesn't trust leaving her guard down while she's so vulnerable. She squints and can make out a figure much smaller than the other man so this must be Kepheus.

"Kepheus..." Kassandra strangles out as her throat is aching from where he was holding her earlier.

She reaches out for him, but her knees buckle beneath her before she can go anywhere. She closes her eyes, expecting to hit the ground, but instead she feels a warm arm around her waist holding her steady. She's grateful for it as her head feels like it's underwater and the pressure is giving her a headache.

"Kassandra" she hears, but she contorts her face into that of confusion as it didn't sound like Kepheus.

"Kassandra, can you hear me?" She hears the voice again, but she can't seem to get herself to respond.

Kassandra can feel herself getting very tired, very fast and finds herself drifting in and out of consciousness. One moment she's standing with someone and the next, she's laying down on what was probably a bed. Gods did her head hurt something terrible, but she needed to ignore it as she needed to find Kepheus as he was still injured and she promised she'd save him.

Kassandra promptly sits up from the bed and regrets it immediately as a wave of dizziness takes over and she feels incredibly nauseous all of a sudden. She lurches for the edge of the bed as the contents of her stomach make a reappearance and vomits all over the floor before her arm gives out and she collapses back onto the bed. She can hear her name being called, but the urge to sleep overtakes her.

By the time Kassandra stirs, her head is feeling only slightly better, but her stomach feels worse as the stench of death, blood, and vomit fills the air and it takes all her willpower to not throw up a second time. She groans as she tries to sit up, slowly this time, but is stopped by a hand placed gently on her shoulder. 

Kassandra reaches for the hand and finds it to be incredibly soft and smaller than what she expected. She can't handle opening her eyes right now as the pain it still too intense and the everything seems so bright as Kassandra could make out a reddish glow from behind her eyelids. She could still rely on her other senses to help her out, but this all was just too much at once and she couldn't place this stranger. She had shaken Kepheus' hand and his was calloused and rough so unless he had been using oils for the past two weeks, there was no way this was him.

She still had the incessant ringing in her head, making it hard to hear her own thoughts yet alone anyone else's, but she believed she was being spoken to by this mysterious person.

She allowed herself to be pushed back onto the bed by the hand that she was still gripping onto. Only once she was fully laying down again did Kassandra release her grip, but the other person didn't let her go, instead she felt a hand gentle running their fingers through her destroyed braid. Kassandra melted at the touch and could feel her headache lessen with each pass.

Being more relaxed allows her to pick up a forth scent to the awful one's flooding her system, one that struck Kassandra as familiar, but she couldn't place from where. It was soothing though and Kassandra focused on that as she lost consciousness for the umpteenth time, but unlike the last time, there was a small smile on her face as she succumbed into the darkness while a gentle hand strokes her hair.

When Kassandra awakens next, the brightness of the room is gone and she notices the room doesn't smell as bad as it did before. Kassandra wiggles a little and can still feel herself in the bed or whatever it is she's laying in. This time, she cracks open an eye to see nothing but darkness and she's wondering if that's because of her head injury or if it was night time, maybe both. Slowly opening both eyes, blinking hard to try to focus, she realizes it is indeed dark out, but that there are a few lit candles meaning someone had been here to take care of her. It was possible it was the healer she sent Ikaros to find.

It only takes a moment for her first clear thoughts to sink in. 

She had missed the meeting and she had failed Kepheus.

Her body is telling her to not move, but Kassandra has never been one to sit on the sidelines and now wouldn't be any different. Willing all the energy she has, she forces herself into a sitting position and can feel the light headedness begin to return. She closes her eyes again and takes several steadying breaths until the feeling subsides. She then slowly drags her legs to the ground and lifts herself from the bed. Her body still ached, but it was manageable compared to earlier.

Feeling as if she has her bearings together, she takes a few tentative steps to get her legs moving again before she walks over to where she last saw Kepheus. He was nowhere to be found so he either had gotten up on his own or the person who aided her, also aided him. She didn't have time to dwell on it as she had no idea what time it was anymore so she needed to make her way down to the docks and fast.

It took her an additional moment to realize that she was also no longer fully clothed as a breeze came through and she began to shiver. That's when she looked down and noticed that she had some bandages around her side and around her thigh on her left leg. Meaning all she had on from the waist down was her underwear so she probably should get dressed. Looking around for the rest of her sash, she finds it placed near the bed that was haphazardly made for her and pulls it on as quickly as she can (which is painfully slow). The weight of it is irritating her bandages, but she didn't care.

She still had a ways to go as this area was not in the town, but southwest of it, maybe five hundred meters or so if she went by land. Although, if she went to the coast she could see all the ships arriving and departing and cut her time in half, but she'd be too far away to see any individuals as more than just a silhouette as it was so dark. She needed to make haste and she'd come back for Kepheus once she found what she needed. This left her with two options, trying the shore in hopes there is a boat, cutting her travel distance in half, or she would need to try to run it.

A short test jog outside gave her the answer as the impact caused her side to ache so trying the shore for a boat was the answer. She'd even rather swim than run at this point so she does a light jog as to not irritate her wounds even further. 

It takes about a minute for her to get there and, buy sheer luck, there is a small boat left unattended. She didn't want to resort to stealing, but it's not like it was going that far, only across the small patch of water, they could just swim to go get it back.

Having justified her actions to herself, she hops on the boat and makes quick work, reaching the other side in only a couple minutes. She has to climb a little bit, but it still beats having to run. Dusting herself off once she gets back on her feet, she briskly walks in the direction that Kepheus had given her last time. 

Kassandra arrives a bit winded, but at least she's there. She looks around to find anyone out of the ordinary, but the whole place is almost deserted.

"Malaka!" Kassandra scolds herself internally as this was all her fault. She should have just come over when she woke up and not waited. Then maybe she could've found Kepheus unharmed or she could have at least given him more help than she did.

There was no doubt that the cult was behind the attack so this place would be compromised when the men didn't report back so she could kiss any chance of them returning here goodbye. 

She had failed. 

She failed Kepheus as she exposed him to the wrath of the cult, she failed Kyra as she had assured her she would take care of the threat, and she failed herself for her poor judgment.

Kassandra had not screwed up this bad in a long time and she wasn't quite sure how to fix it. Life would go on and nobody would be the wiser, but Kassandra would always know. She would always know there's a threat that could lurk these islands and that Kyra and her people could never truly be safe. 

She would need to eventually find Kyra to admit this failure, but she's not sure if she has it in her to do right now. Kyra would lose respect for her and Kassandra couldn't take seeing it fade right before her own eyes. Kassandra's not even sure why she cares so much about Kyra's opinion anyway. She will lose everything she built with her if she ever tells Kyra about Thaletas.

Defeated, Kassandra begins the journey towards the Adrestia. She had Barnabas stay on Mykonos to remain out of sight, but not too far that she couldn't reach him in a hurry. 

Making her way back to the boat, she takes it back to where she found it, nobody the wiser, and makes her way back to the tavern. She checks inside by the moonlight and can see that nothing's changed and that everything was as she had left it. Still not completely trusting that it's safe, Kassandra pulls out her spear. The candles had been extinguished, but it was recent as the scent still lingered in the air. Kepheus was still missing from what she'd seen so she assumed that he was long gone and most likely not the one who was here with her. She couldn't blame him for running, but it pained her to know that whatever knowledge he had was lost along with the cultists.

Kassandra opts to not walk in blind, well, blinder than she already is, so she grabs a stick and a rock and uses her spear to ignite a flame. It won't last very long, but it will be enough that Kassandra can take a quick look around and light the candles again. It takes her no time at all to assure it's empty so she lights the candles and extinguishes her torch before it burned her hand.

She was weighing if she wanted to go all the way back to Mykonos today or wait until tomorrow. Her body still felt so drained and it was beginning to turn light and she did not want anyone to see her like this, but she also knew she would not be able to get any rest out here. The cultists would already be long gone so there was no longer a sense of urgency, she didn't feel much of anything at all. Still, she wanted to be home and she knew if she was on the Adrestia that she'd at least feel safer.

It takes a lot to rattle her, but the events that all unfolded so quickly had really gotten to her. She could have died, really and truly died tonight. She can handle close encounters, but this was different. This was personal. That man had tracked her, stalked her, just to get her alone. It wasn't honestly hard to find her alone as that's how she worked, but she just couldn't shake this off. She needed solace in her own room, on her ship, with her people and maybe then she'd be able to rest.

All she knew was that she wanted to get as far away as possible for right now. She would send a letter to Kyra about all that transpired as she didn't think she could actually face her with this failure, not yet anyway. For now, she just needed the open water and the sea breeze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you all think?! Are you excited for part 2????


	10. Crash Your Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART 2 HAS ARRIVED!!!
> 
> I just couldn't wait until Sunday to share this with all of you so I decided to post it early as a little gift to all of you that follow this story and especially for those who take the time to comment and interact with me. It means more to me than you'll ever know <3.
> 
> Since part 1 was from Kassandra's perspective, it is only right that part 2 is Kyra's POV and lemme tell you....HOMEGIRL IS A TOTAL MUTHAF*CKING BAD*SS!!! Why you ask? Well, 1) just duh and 2) guess you'll have to read and find out now won't you?
> 
> Karmin - Crash Your Party  
> https://youtu.be/WOorxvAVqb4

(Earlier that same day)

Kyra had finished up her final errand and it took more time than she wanted it to. The sun was getting lower in the sky and if Kyra wanted to find Kassandra, she'd need to leave before it got too dark or tracking would be almost impossible. Thankfully, Kassandra had shared some information with her before she voiced that she wanted to help as after that, Kassandra kept everything pretty tight lipped so she had a general idea of where to look.

She never spent much time on Delos as there wasn't much going on there as the quarry was on Mykonos, thus the drachmae was here. She'd need to do better as it was her responsibility to see it succeed and that meant finding a way to turn it around. Alas, she was not making this trip for that, at least not this time. This time it was for Kassandra so she needed to cover herself so that she wouldn't be recognized.

After a quick wardrobe change, Kyra made her way to her docking area along the coast. There were perks to being in charge and having her own mode of transportation was one of them. It took a little longer to reach Delos than if she went to the actual docks, but this way she'd be less likely to be recognized and the less people she was around the better.

During her ride she can swear she hears Kassandra's eagle, Ikaros, cawing above her, but she dismisses it as just another bird.

Kyra finds no trouble during her short journey and she stops near the southernmost part of the island and drags her boat to shore, hiding it in some shrubbery for safekeeping. She was grateful that she at least knew this island fairly well although the tavern was most certainly new. Last time she was here it was a farm so it must have been sold and repurposed to try to bring in drachmae. Farming was rough on these islands so it was probably very wise for them to sell and move on.

She makes her way up the trail, but stops short of actually stepping onto the property as she can hear the sound of talking. It wasn't unusual for people to speak at a tavern of course, but this didn't sound like talking, more like a threat. She didn't like this one bit, but still she waited as she needed to do some recon first before she interjected herself into something that's potentially dangerous.

Kyra survey's the surrounding area, but she cannot see anyone else and from the sounds of it, there's only two people inside.

There's definitely sounds of distress and of some sort of item shattering, but Kyra doesn't have the weapons like she would have at her disposal on Mykonos. She had figured this would be stealth so she carried with her a bow and a small dagger. Not enough to take down a swarm of men, but hopefully it was enough to help out whomever was being attacked.

Kyra slowly works her way towards the tavern, ensuring she stays low to the ground. She is grateful her wardrobe is that of earth colors as it allows her to blend in seamlessly with the area around her. 

She remains perched by one of the silos until she hears a man shouting. He yells such a phrase that sends dread down every fiber of Kyra's body as she now knows exactly who is inside.

"I hope you rot in Hades for all of eternity Eagle Bearer!" Kyra hears the man yell and she knows that she doesn't have time to wait as Kassandra is in deep trouble.

Kyra sprints as fast as her body will allow as she's got a straight shot into the entrance. She's got her dagger in her hand and is ready to fight even the gods themselves to protect Kassandra, she just prays she's not too late.

As she gets closer, she can see a battered and extremely bloody Kassandra face down in a pool of blood. Kyra prays that it isn't Kassandra's as there is just so much on the floor and there is no way Kassandra could survive that much blood loss, even if she did rival the gods with how resilient she was.

Kyra wastes no time in slamming both herself and her dagger into the man who's about to stomp Kassandra's head into the ground.

The man was too distracted by his own dialogue and vengeance that he didn't even see Kyra's approach as his vision was looking down at Kassandra. It would be his hubris that truly ended him, that and the fact that Kyra lodged her blade directly into his chest, just shy of his heart as she barreled into him right before his foot was about to connect with Kassandra's skull.

Kyra's momentum sends her toppling over him causing her hand to lose the grip on the blade embedded in his chest. Kyra wastes no time on the ground as she turns the tumble into a roll and springs back to her feet, grabbing an arrow as it was the next available weapon she had with her.

The man is slow to rise as the blood begins to flow out of him like a fountain. He had the look of pure shock and surprise etched all over his face as Kyra was not something he would have even thought to consider. Kassandra works alone so if she was the target, they would know that she would have no back up. No amount of planning would have made the difference as Kassandra had made herself a lone wolf and that's the reputation that the world got to know. Little did they know that Kyra was too stubborn to let her go into a suicide mission without help, it's just fortunate she arrived when she did.

The man pulls out the dagger, but remains standing as he grips the bloodied blade in his palm. Kyra can see that the man is beginning to sway, but he too must be stubborn as it was clear he wasn't just going to die quietly. Whatever happens, she needs to keep his attention off from Kassandra so she takes several steps back to lure him.

It works as the man staggers his way towards her with the intent to not die alone. He swings when he gets within range and Kyra is able to dodge and counter with a slice with her arrow right up the vein along his arm.

The man drops the dagger as he drops down to a knee, cradling his arm as both he and Kyra know that his fight will be over in a matter of minutes. He's lost too much blood to stand and even he could, Kyra could easily parry anything he had to throw at her.

He looks up at her, a look of confusion now replaces the surprised look he had but moments ago.

"Why?...How?..." is all the man is able to get out as each breath becomes more labored than the next.

"You made the mistake of messing with the wrong woman, my woman" Kyra answers in a serious tone, dropping herself so that she's level with his face. "You had better hope she is still alive or else I promise that I will kill everyone you've ever loved, ending your bloodline with you."

His eyes go wide at the threat, but Kyra is done with him so she takes arrow and lodges it though his throat, giving the final moment of his life, a harrowing end fitting for a man like him. He maybe lives for a few seconds, but as soon as she stands up, it's clear he is no longer alive. She's covered in blood which immediately brings her vision to Kassandra who's now huddle up in the corner. 

"Oh thank the gods!" Kyra exclaims as Kassandra was alive and that was more hope than she had when she first got here.

Kyra makes her way over to Kassandra, elated that she is alive.

"Kassandra" Kyra says with such love, but it as if Kassandra cannot hear her as she lunges towards her with the intent to fight and Kassandra's fist connects with her jaw.

"Fuck Kassandra, stop" Kyra pleads, rubbing her jaw, but Kassandra continues to swing wildly at her. Kyra knows something is deeply wrong and she absolutely would not strike back so she would just continue to block them until she tired out.

Finally, as if something clicked, Kassandra wiped the blood from her face and squinted at her.

"Kepheus..." Kyra hears her utter, voice raspy and broken.

"Who is Kepheus? It's me Kassandra, it's Kyra" she tries again as Kassandra still isn't registering it's her. 

Kassandra reaches out and tries to take a step, but her legs give and Kyra quickly lunges to grab her, saving her at the last moment.

"Kassandra" Kyra repeats and she can see Kassandra's face change and it's clear she's confused and disoriented as her eyes are glazed over. Kassandra must have sustained a head injury sometime before Kyra arrived as it would explain the odd behavior she's exhibiting.

"Kassandra, can you hear me?" Kyra questions as she leans Kassandra onto the wall so that she can look at her.

She's grateful for the forethought because as soon as she asked the question, Kassandra became deadweight in her arms, almost causing Kyra to drop her. Instead, she slides them both to the ground and checks for a pulse. Kassandra is still alive, just unconscious and after Kyra rests Kassandra's head against a stand that is nearby, she takes the time to observe the room.

Towards the back corner on one side lays the body of the man who attacked Kassandra, but as Kyra turns, she spots another man in the adjacent corner. He looks limp as his body is hunched forward, but Kyra still approaches with her arrow in her hand. Picking up a broken table leg on her way, she gently pokes the man who slumps back.

"Wow, ok, you're definitely dead too" Kyra recoils as he is quite the sight. Kyra was pretty sure that man had bled to death given the stain that was being absorbed into the wood below him, but it could be a host of other things too.

Moving his body seemed to distribute a foul stench into the air so putrid that Kyra had to rush outside for fresh air.

She takes deep and heavy breaths as the weight of everything that just happened comes crashing down on her. Kassandra almost died and she had killed a man in all of about ten minutes. Kyra looks down at her splayed fingers and they're covered in blood and shaking ever so slightly. So much more could have gone wrong. If she even hesitated for a second longer than she did, Kassandra probably would've died or had heavy brain damage at least. Kassandra could still die as she's not sure what kind of injuries she even has.

Taking a deep breath, Kyra turns to go sort the disaster that lies beyond. She starts with Kassandra as it is important that she gets examined. It's too dark out now, but she is able to locate several candles so she brings them to where the bed is and lights them. The beds a bit broken, but it should hold Kassandra up no problem, but not both of them so Kyra would need to find somewhere else to lay down as Kassandra was in no position to travel.

Kyra brings Kassandra to the bed and begins to look her over for wounds. Kyra can see gashes alone her lower left side and there are some bruising and minor cuts just about everywhere else. Kyra gently observes Kassandra's head and she goes to lift her head up, she can feel the stickiness of blood. It was clear Kyra was ill prepared for this, but she would make do.

There already were rags and alcohol (which was convenient), but she also needed cloth to wrap up the wounds so she took to digging through a dresser that she's assuming belongs to the random dead man. 

Kyra is no healer, but she's also no novice as with the life she lives, it's a very useful skill set to have. She focuses on her head first, cleaning the wound as best she can and disinfecting it before wrapping it with a few chitons that she ripped up. Looking down, it was clear the shards went deep in her skin, hitting her just right that the armor was of no use. It also meant that she would need to undress Kassandra. 

Now, it wasn't anything Kyra hadn't seen before, but this would be the first time she didn't have explicit permission to see her almost naked. Kassandra would forgive her if it meant saving her life so Kyra slides down the lower sash until Kassandra is only left in her underwear. It makes Kyra blush as even on the brink of death can Kassandra elicit such responses from her, but now is certainly not the time to ogle.

It takes Kyra about an hour to get everything else cleaned up after she’d finished up with Kassandra. The place was really starting to smell and it even got so bad that when Kassandra became conscious she quickly vomited and then passed back out again. That was the sign she needed to clean house and, in this case, it was the entire place that needed to be evacuated.

Kyra dragged both bodies outside and managed to find a shovel so she finds a nice spot for the stranger and gives him the best burial she can, but for the other man, the one she fought with, he could rot until the wolves tear him to nothing but bone. She drags him far enough from the path that he wouldn't be seen and places him in a bush. Not luxurious, but he would be nature's problem now.

She tried to clean up the blood, but there was just so much and she didn't have enough to fully soak it all up. She needed to keep fresh stuff for Kassandra so did her best to get the larger puddles. 

Satisfied that this is all as good as it's going to get, Kyra needed to go find some food for the two of them. She would check in the storage, but odds were good she'd have to find something herself.

Hunting by moonlight was not easy and it took time and patience that she just didn't have anymore. Giving up after an hour, she heads back as she didn't want to leave Kassandra alone for that long.

Apparently though, it was long enough for Kassandra to have come to and completely vanish. Kyra calls out her name, but is met only with the sounds of the animals around them. 

She was at least relieved that Kassandra was at least functioning on her own accord as it was clear she got dressed here and left on her own so Kyra would wait a few minutes before she made her way back to Mykonos as there was no use in sticking around. It would be unlikely that Kassandra would return back here, but she would hold out for a little while longer just in case.

Kyra waited for about fifteen minutes before she headed for the shoreline. She had spotted the Adrestia near the docks as she took a walk around the main square earlier in the day so there was a high chance that Kassandra would make her way there. She was too anxious to sleep for what was left of the night (which wasn't much at this point) so she made her way to her boat and began the trip across to the docks as there's a good chance that that's where Kassandra would go. Kyra needed to see her, she needed to see that she was still alive and in one piece after how she last knew her condition to be.

Kyra made her way towards the ship, but as she gets closer, she realizes they're about to depart.

"Shit!" Kyra mutters as she picks up the pace, running blindly towards the slowly departing ship.

If she didn't find a way to make it on that boat, there was a good chance she'd not see Kassandra again, maybe ever, and that wasn't something she was going to let happen.

Thankful that she was still covered, she continued to run full speed towards the boat, grabbing her dagger as a way to get leverage once reaching the ship. It was going to be a stretch, but she needed to try for it anyway.

Kyra reaches the end of the dock and leaped towards the Adrestia, hoping she got enough speed to get her close enough to the ship. The momentum was just barely enough as Kyra connects her hands over the dagger above her head and plummets it into the wood on the bottom half of the stern. Her grip almost loosens, but she's able to reposition herself and gain her footing. 

She realizes how this would all look if she was spotted right now and she did make some noise so it would be best to lay low for a few minutes before finishing the climb on up.

After waiting for around ten minutes or so, Kyra's hands were starting to tire and she was too far from any land to want to land in the water and she was not about to become shark food so she works her way up.

Kyra was just below where the railing was when she paused as both Kassandra and Barnabas were standing right there, having a serious discussion from the sounds of it.

"Talk to me Kassandra, what happened? I'm sure she would understand, but not if you keep running!" Kyra heard Barnabas challenge, care and concern evident in his tone. Kyra was grateful Kassandra had someone like him in her life, someone who truly cares about her without ulterior motive.

"For the last time Barnabas, drop this now. I don't want to talk to you, to Kyra, to anyone! Just leave me be" Kyra overhears Kassandra snap back, but her tone was filled with something she's not heard in her voice for as long as she's known her.

Fear.

Kassandra is clearly perturbed by something, but Kyra doesn't understand why it had to do with her. Did she not want her to save her? Would she have preferred she left her for dead? Kyra was at a loss, but it was clear that whatever was wrong, she was a part of the problem.

It was too late to change anything as Kyra was here now and there was no turning back, but she just would keep a low profile until she figured out what to do. She would try to speak with Barnabas in private as if anyone would be reasonable, it'd be him. She's also grateful she got to know a few of Kassandra's crew as she needed to blend in.

Traversing to the side on the ship, Kyra slips inside, but is immediately spotted by a member of the crew and, thankfully, she knew who it was. Kyra was quick to remove her head covering as he was about to draw his sword, but once he recognized her, he immediately relax.

"Kyra?!" Sabyllos questions as this was not expected in the slightest given that they were in the middle of the ocean. "What are you even doing here?"

"It is a long story, but a summary is that Kassandra is in trouble so I'm here to help, but she can't know I'm here, not yet" Kyra answers, not really lying about the situation, but not really telling the truth either.

Sabyllos looks her over, analyzing her it feels like, but he doesn't take too long to decide as a nod of his head confirms that he will help her.

"You should keep that on by the way," he says as he points to the head piece Kyra holds in her hands, "you're a pretty recognizable face on this ship."

"Thank you Sabyllos, I appreciate your help and sensitivity with this" and Kyra truly did, she knew what kind of a risk this could be as she's technically a stowaway.

He takes her to the most secluded area on the ship, the bow, and the two of them sit for a few hours, light conversation passing between them. Nobody pays them any mind as they're all eager to get what rest they can.

"Sabyllos, you don't have to keep me company, you deserve the rest" Kyra says as she can tell he is getting tired.

"You say that like you're not on the verge of passing out yourself" he laughs in response.

The calmness between them doesn't last forever as, all of a sudden, a loud "boom" is heard from a distance.

"Pirates! To your stations everyone, now!" Barnabas shouts and Kyra and Sabyllos listen to the running stomps above them as everyone hustles to their positions.

Any fatigue either of them was feeling was long gone as Sabyllos runs back to his spot as a rower and Kyra makes her way to one of the opening for the canons to see what the fuss is about. She can see two large pirate ships in the distance, but the more she looked at the sails, the more she realized they weren't the sails of pirates. A golden face with snakes was the mark of the cultists and that meant that this was an ambush for Kassandra.

It didn't take long for the two ships to reach the Adrestia and all Kyra could do was watch at this point as she would just be in the way otherwise. Everyone had a place here and she didn't want to be the cause for any problems when there was enough already so she stayed as out of the way as possible until she saw the hooks being thrown.

Identity be damned, if she didn't at least try to fight these cultist she'd never forgive herself and Kassandra was already injured and the cultists would spot that in a heartbeat. The Adrestia was in distress and she was going to do whatever she could to keep everyone alive. 

Sabyllos tries to stop her from going up, but she pushes past him and lifts up the hatch to the utter chaos on the upper deck. Swords were flying and bodies from both sides and the sounds of screams echo hauntingly around the calmness of the water.

Kyra wastes no further time observing and she forces the hatch fully open so she can climb out. She closes it immediately once she's out as she doesn't want to risk any of the lives below deck with a stray arrow or any sort of explosive. She spots a discarded sword near a body and she runs over to it as it would do more damage than the dagger she's got and she rips off the head scarf as she needed to be able to see from all angles.

Kyra dives into the fray as she works her way towards Kassandra who's at the helm, trying to protect Barnabas. She can see Kassandra struggling to stay on the offensive, but it's clear just how exhausted she is. 

Kyra looses track at how many cultist scum she's killed, but each one that dies by her hand is one less infestation in the world. It didn't mean this was easy though as these people were skilled fighters, clearly better than your average for hire henchman. This also meant that they didn't play fair as an explosion sounds from beneath them and smoke billows from below them.

Kyra knew the scent as a smoke bomb, this was a smart tactic as it would force everyone under the ship up on deck, leaving the Adrestia dead in the water. Sure enough, all the hatches get thrown open and Kassandra's crew scrambles to get out into the fresh air, but most get attacked before they even open their eyes.

Kyra frantically searches for Sabyllos in the chaos so she decides to call his name and see who reacts.

"Sabyllos!" Kyra yells and she can make him out near where Kassandra is fighting as he turns to her with panic in his eyes. Kyra knew he wasn't a fighter and so did the man approaching him with a handheld axe. 

Kassandra was trying to keep them off him, but her injuries made it difficult for her to skewer these cultists like she would in her prime so she could only do so much. It was clear though that this one behemoth of a man was toying with Sabyllos as he backed him up to the railing next to the steps.

Kyra was on the wrong side and this man was built like a tree so there is no way this puny sword would even dent his armor, but she had a plan.

Kyra races up to the front of the ship, expertly avoiding everyone as she jumped up the small flight of stairs. She has only one shot at this and she had to hope Sabyllos would listen to her.

Kyra sprints forward and yells to him. "Sabyllos, duck!"

He doesn't question it and immediately drops to the ground. 

Kassandra, having been caught off guard by the familiar voice, shifts her attention to the direction she heard it to see Kyra sprinting across the helm of her ship.

Kassandra watches in shock as Kyra runs towards the inner rail and vaults herself off it, slamming into the berserker who had Sabyllos cornered with enough force to knock them both clean off of the ship.

"Kyra!" She can hear Kassandra scream as she plummets into the water below.

It hit her like a sheet of ice as the water is just so much colder than she's used to by the shore. Every meter she drops further down, she can feel the chill begin to set in. More importantly though is the fact that this man was still very much attached to her as they plummeted deeper and deeper into the abyss.

With the weight of his armor, Kyra knew that he realized this would be his final resting place, but he also seemed determined to take Kyra to Hades with him. His grip around her tightened so that it was crushing her lower body as he'd only managed to get around her waist.

Kyra thrashes her body to try to wiggle free, but his grip is tight like iron and he isn't budging. Each kick she placed, he endured. It also didn't help that her kick was half the speed it should be underwater so the damage would never be to the level where it hurt him. She had to think of something else to save herself and fast.

Kyra could feel her lungs burning from the lack of oxygen and she tried to remain calm to not over exert more than necessary to preserve what little oxygen she had left. At this point if she wasn't free soon, it wouldn't matter if she got out or not because the swim to the surface would be too far for her to manage. 

That's when she remembered something that, if she could reach it, could level the playing field. She had been smart enough to keep her dagger on her instead of tossing it once she picked up the sword. That is her only hope, but she's got to be quick.

Remembering an old trick she was taught, Kyra pinches the back of his arm as hard as she could where he was exposed, enough to bruise the skin. He releases his right arm only to try to free it from her grasp, but it is enough for her to reach behind her back to grab the weapon. His grip tightens almost immediately, but she's got what she wanted so now it was a matter of finding any opening to stab him.

Realizing that he is solely focused on his grip on her, it leaves his head exposed as all she needs to do is remove his helmet and get one good blow. She uses both hands to yank the helmet free from his head and as he looks up at her, she plunges her dagger directly into the side of his skull, killing him instantly. 

His grip lessens and she's able to wiggle out and begin her immediately rise towards the surface. Her limbs are moving as fast as they can and she can see the light and the outline of the ship once more. She's so close, she can do this. She did not come this far to drown.

Kyra's not sure where she found the energy, but she was grateful for it as she propelled herself out of the water, inhaling as much air as she could muster before the momentum drops her back underwater again. The waves have begun to pick up so she needed to get out of the water fast as she was not strong enough to compete with them. She also needed to get back on the ship as, to her knowledge, the fight was still going and she needed to find Kassandra.

She swims to the side of the ship and hauls herself out of the water, using her dagger again as an anchor point. Her body is heavy from being waterlogged and being exhausted, but she pushes herself as she knows there are people still counting on her.

It takes her longer than it should to reach the top, but she manages to pull herself up and flop onto the floor. She forces herself to stand and has to use the railing to hold herself up, but she's got her dagger in the other and the adrenaline would kick in if anyone came for her. To her surprise, only Kassandra's crew was left alive and she watched as Kassandra kicked off the final cultist into the water below.

If Kyra had to guess, she'd say that Kassandra lost about a third of her crew on this attack, but at least they won this fight.

"Kyra! You're alive!" She hears as Sabyllos barrels towards her and encompasses her in a tight hug.

"Can't...breathe" Kyra chokes out as it feels eerily similar to the death grip she was just in moments ago and she'd not recovered enough to be bear hugged again.

"Sorry, so sorry" he says as he releases her into a much lighter hug. "I can't believe you did that for me. You saved my life."

"Of course I would do that for you Sabyllos, you're a dear friend and I could not bear it if he had harmed you when I could've done something to prevent it. It was nothing" Kyra downplays his praises, even though she knows they're valid. She's never been one to gloat and to her, it really was the right thing to do.

"It was not nothing, you're a hero!" Sabyllos praises and Kyra knows there's no arguing this with him so she just returns the hug until she hears someone clear their throat. More specifically, Kassandra clearing her throat.

Sabyllos jumps away from her immediately and Kyra locks eyes with Kassandra. 

Kassandra is unreadable to her as her face remains so neutral after everything that's happened with them within these past two days. Her face is hard and Kyra can see a small crease form between Kassandra's eyes as her face turns into a scowl. This was not the reaction she was expecting, but given what she overheard earlier, it was probably the best it was going to get.

The two of them just stare, nobody wishing to break the eye contact first. Kyra wasn't sure what kind of power move this was, but she would not back down, even if her body was begging for her to sit down.

"Kassandra" Barnabas speaks, but her gaze never leaves Kyra's so he tries again with more fervor. 

"Kassandra!" Again, no reaction or recognition and Barnabas is visually getting frustrated. 

Tired of whatever this is too, Barnabas shouts as loud as his voice can carry. "CAPTAIN!"

That one does the trick as Kassandra snaps out of the trance like state she was in and turns her attention towards him.

"I think we should discuss what to do now. We need to come up with a plan" Barnabas suggests and Kassandra nods her head in agreement.

"Tend to the wounded first and then we can discuss what is next. I will go below deck to survey the damages" Kassandra says and as soon as she finished, she turned to walk away, leaving no room for any further discussion.

Barnabas looks back towards Kyra and just shrugs as he limps towards the scattered bodies littering the ship. Kyra knows she could help, but the odds of anyone surviving any non minor injuries out here are slim to none.

Kyra looks across from her and can see that the two ships are loosely attached still so this would be an opportune time for her to scavenge what she can before they set the ship ablaze.

"Any able bodied person not tending to the wounded, come with me" Kyra orders and the men jump to the ready as if Kassandra gave them the order.

Kyra holds the planks as the three men who volunteered crossed and they returned the favor for her. Once aboard, Kyra pulls her dagger back out and advises the men to take up arms in case there are stragglers. They ensure the top level is clear before they move down below deck.

Nothing seems out of place and after a through search, they conclude that there's nobody remaining so they all sheathe their weapons. 

"Find what food and supplies you can and transport back to the Adrestia. I will go through their documents and see if there's anything of interest" Kyra orders and the men all nod in agreement as they disperse to take what they can.

Kyra had them separate to cover more ground, but she also didn't want anyone present as she was ruffling through the documents. She wasn't sure how much Kassandra's crew knew about the cult so she didn't want to divulge any information prematurely.

She entered into the captain's quarter and began her search. A lot of the messages were coded which meant that Kyra needed to keep these to find someone who could translate it as there were stacks of them. It was a smart move for them to not speak openly as there was always a risk of something like this happening. Otherwise, she found nothing worthy of taking. There were a few business ledgers in there too which could help them locate more members so she adds it to her stack.

Satisfied that she had gone through everything, she decided to toss the rest of the room and see what else she could find as she was sure there was something good in here, there always was.

After clearing off a shelf, Kyra taps on the wood behind it, listening for a hollow sound and she strikes gold, literally. Kyra removes the fake panel to find handfuls of gold coins and drachmae.

"By the gods" Kyra utters as she's never seen this much gold in her lifetime. Gold was scarce all over Greece so these cultists must've either worked for the Persians or took down Persian ships previously as nobody in Greece had anything close to this to her knowledge. 

Kyra used her dagger to rip open one of the pillows so that she'd have a pouch to carry it all back as she couldn't do it with only one trip and it's not like the actual captain was using it anymore. She also wanted the pillow as, even ripped, it would provide her a comfort she probably wouldn't have otherwise.

Stuffing the pillow full, Kyra tucks it under her arm as she grabs the documents and makes her way back to the Adrestia. 

Upon reaching the top, she can see the progress the other men are making as there's now a pile of food, weapons, etc. all dumped in a sorted pile at the helm as there were still bodies that littered the majority of the deck. She greets one of the men with a small nod as she makes her way back over. She needed to speak to Kassandra about all this.

There would only be one place to look and that'd be Kassandra's quarter as no other place would offer any secrecy so she heads below deck.

It's still a bit smoky down here, but in terms of damage it's relatively unscathed. There will still need to be repairs, but at least the rowing stations were intact.

The closer to the stern she gets, the louder she can hear them arguing. It's too muffled to make out what is being said but she knows it's going to be unpleasant. It will be even worse in about five seconds.

Kyra knocks on the door, the voices silence themselves immediately before Kassandra speaks.

"Come in" Kassandra commands so Kyra does as she's asked as Kassandra was already mad at her.

Kassandra glances her way as she enters, but just as soon as they make that eye contact again, she immediately casts her vision back to the table with papers scattered about. 

"It's progress" Kyra thinks to herself as she closes the door behind her.

"I won't take up much of your time, but I found some things I think you should see Kassandra, you too Barnabas" as Kyra knows he's just as immersed in this as Kassandra. "I found these documents when I was scavenging the other ship and I believe them to be useful, but there is a slight problem."

"And that is?" Kassandra inquires, her voice just hindering on annoyed.

"They're coded" Kyra says as she pulls put the stacks of papers and places them on top of the already full table. "I didn't know if either of you knew how to decipher it or not."

"I'm afraid we do not" Barnabas chimes in, not wanting Kassandra to speak as she's been nothing but rude since the attack.

"I also found something that will help everyone here" Kyra says as she reaches into the pillow.

Kassandra raises a brow at this, but doesn't speak so Kyra takes that as positive progress. It gets even better when Kyra loosens her fist to let both the gold and drachmae fall from it.

Both Barnabas' and Kassandra's eyes bulge at the sight as, unbeknownst to Kyra, they had previously been discussing money.

"Is that pillow filled with all this?" Barnabas questions, trying to keep the joy from erupting prematurely.

"Yes!" Kyra exclaims to Barnabas' delight. "I found a hidden compartment in the captain's quarter and it was filled with this stuff. I'd say it's enough here to fully repair the Adrestia and have plenty left over."

"See Kassandra? I told you!" Barnabas gloats, but for what reason, Kyra isn't sure. "She was sent by the gods to aid us."

"I don't know about that Barnabas, but I'm just glad I was able to help" Kyra answers with a bit of a blush at the high praise.

"And so humble too!" Barnabas happily exclaims as he pats her gently on the shoulder.

Kyra, feeling uncomfortable at both the praise from Barnabas and the sheer indifference from Kassandra, decides she's had enough for one day and she really, really just wants to lay down and sleep.

"Do you have anything I can dump this in by any chance? I, kind of want to keep the pillow, it's super soft" Kyra trails off after realizing that she's gushing about a pillow, but she did see a small smirk appear on Kassandra's face for a moment.

"One moment" Kassandra says as she goes to open the trunk that's at the foot of her bed.

Kyra doesn't dare move any further into the room than she already is so she waits for Kassandra to return back with a towel.

Kassandra holds it steady as Kyra carefully transfers the contents from one place to another until the pillow only has stuffing remaining.

"Thank you for this Kyra, as we all know you could've just kept this for yourself" Barnabas thanks her and Kyra appreciate how nice he'd been to counter how rude Kassandra was.

"I wouldn't ever do that, I care about you, all of you, so it would not be right to keep this for myself" Kyra answers honestly as she hadn't even considered taking all of this for herself.

Kassandra had not said anything as she placed the towel back in her trunk so Kyra was going to just leave now while there was distance between them. "I will take my leave now, I apologize for also dripping on the floor, I kind of forgot I was still soaked." Kyra makes a bit of a bow to the two of them before she turns to open the door.

"Kyra, wait," Kassandra speaks and Kyra pauses as she can hear Kassandra rummaging through her trunk.

Kyra turns to see Kassandra walking towards her with a fresh set of clothing, offering it to her.

"These should be a better fit than anything else you could find on the ship" Kassandra says as she passes the clean clothes to Kyra.

"Thanks, these will work perfectly" Kyra responded with a smile and Kassandra offered her a small one in return. 

Kyra turns to leave again, but Kassandra reaches out and places her hand on top of Kyra's arm.

"Why are you here?" Kassandra questions, her voice much softer as if they were sharing secrets.

"I already told you, I'm not letting you do this alone and I meant it" Kyra answers, her back still towards Kassandra as she couldn't handle seeing the lack of emotion on her face anymore.

With that, Kyra turns to leave to get changed and as much as she wants to sleep, there are people who need her help. It would also allow her a distraction from her thoughts as she's been through a whirlwind. She's gone from her desk work and meetings to foiling an attempted murder to crashing onto Kassandra's ship to coming mere seconds from meeting Poseidon on his playing field to getting the cold shoulder from Kassandra.

She's had enough for a while and hopefully the gods would take pity on her, even for just a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT A WOMAN!
> 
> I felt as though this chapter really showed her spirit and integrity and she is just plain amazing alright? Like, just wow....
> 
> What did you all think?!


	11. Come With Me (Pure Imagination) [Leo]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Welcome back for another installment :)
> 
> If you couldn't tell, I've also added 2 chapters to this story as I found a purpose for the only two songs that were missing from my original list and this chapter just happens to be one of them. I also apologize for this being a bit late, but I decided to change the direction of the chapter today which meant I had to swap songs and alter the theme a bit to match it and do a bit of rewriting. I do think this song/chapter flows better than what I originally had though so I'm happy with it.
> 
> Enjoy the read and let me know what you think!
> 
> Karmin - Come With Me (Pure Imagination) [Leo]  
> https://youtu.be/mpLdSpPCzmU

Kyra lays on the least damaged cot she could find, but sleep would not come, no matter how much she desperately craves it. Instead, her mind runs and she can't control it, losing herself into everything she's experiencing. She can feel the tears well up behind her eyes, but she refuses to cry, not when so many people have just lost their lives. Something as petty as her love life doesn't deserve to overshadow the pain that Kassandra's crew is feeling from both the casualties or immobilizing wounds. If they could keep themselves composed then so could she, at least for now.

"You know, I think you could burn a hole through the upper deck with how intensely you're staring right now" Kyra hears Sabyllos comment, but she ignores him as she is not in the mood for playful banter.

Taking her silence as an invitation, he drags a cot and sets it next to hers and takes a seat. He has his positioned in such a way that he was able to sit and lean back against the wall.

"You know, talking about it usually helps" he prods, but is still met with Kyra's silence.

"You know...." Sabyllos begins again, but Kyra found herself ill tempered and aggravated.

"You know a lot now, don't you then? Good for you" Kyra scoffs, tired of his attempts to talk.

"I like to think so" he answers, purposely ignoring the bitterness to her words.

"If you know so much, just ask yourself the questions and save us all some time" Kyra coldly suggests, her tone harsh and her mind was filled with icy remarks.

"I don't have as nice a voice as you do or else I would" Sabyllos tries again to lighten the mood. "If I just talked to myself, people would just think I'm crazy."

Accepting that he was not going to take the hint and shut up, Kyra opted to try to get right to the point.

"What do you want?" Kyra asks, exhaustion clearly evident.

"I want to talk about what happened Kyra. You could've died protecting me" Sabyllos states, more to hear the words himself than for Kyra. "What you did, it was amazing, I've never seen anyone move like that."

"Clearly you've never seen Kassandra in action, she's always more impressive" Kyra mutters under her breath, but Sabyllos caught every word.

"You know it isn't a competition between the two of you, right?" He asks with genuine concern. "Just because Kassandra is amazing doesn't make you any less amazing."

"What it makes us is equal and that's not good enough" Kyra answers dejectedly. "To be on Kassandra's level, you have to be better than her, smarter than her, sharper than her. It isn't enough just to be the same."

"Where is all this coming from? It seems that this all runs deeper than what just happened here today" Sabyllos, sensing that Kyra does wish to talk, gently prods for what the underlying issue is.

"I don't even know where to start" Kyra laughs out, but it's definitely not funny. This was a kind of self deprecating laugh that was meant to belittle herself.

"Well, we're here until enough of the ship has been patched up so I think there's plenty of time. I've also got nowhere else to be so I'm all yours" Sabyllos offers as he leans forward to give her kneecap a squeeze, assuring her the he is present before he lays down.

Did Kyra really want to open up to someone that was essentially a stranger? Sure, she knew who he was but the two had never spent that much time together. She had called him a friend earlier, but she chalks that to being caught up in the moment. Sabyllos seemed like a decent man and he did genuinely sound interested in what bothered her. Still though, he was a member of Kassandra's crew and had loyalty to her.

"I know what you're thinking," Sabyllos interjects, interrupting her private thoughts, "and nothing that is said here will ever get back to Kassandra in case you were wondering."

Kyra raises an eyebrow to this spot on observation, but Sabyllos couldn't see just how well he hit the mark. His admission did ease her mind a bit as she wanted to trust his word. So she did.

"Kassandra and I are," Kyra pauses, contemplating how she could best summarize the two of them, "complicated."

"What couple isn't?" Sabyllos responds, earning a huff from Kyra.

"That's just the thing, we're not even a couple!" Kyra speaks more animatedly as she is now speaking with passion. "I don't even know what we are."

"Well, what would you like to be?" Sabyllos inquires.

"With Kassandra? I mean, I don't even know anymore" Kyra answers truthfully as this whole ordeal has made her reconsider every aspect of her life. "I might have a boyfriend, kind of, maybe, I don't even know anymore. I've heard nothing from him in a year, but Kassandra just kind of happened and kept happening and I just couldn't stop myself so that's been a thing for a little while."

"Wow....that's uh," Sabyllos trails off as he was not expecting this kind of backstory, "complicated."

"You're telling me" Kyra scoffs as she adjusts herself so that she's no longer staring at the ceiling, but is facing Sabyllos. "I had everything and then what felt like nothing, all within a blink of an eye."

"What draws you to her?" Sabyllos asks and Kyra couldn't help but smile as she thinks about Kassandra when they first met.

"Everything" Kyra answers in awe. "Kassandra is like fire, beautiful and ever moving. The way she commands to be seen and how she can light up a room with just her presence. She radiates this warmth that you can't help but be drawn and she is dependable when she is around."

"That was beautifully put Kyra, I think you've described her well" Sabyllos assures. "That said though, what exactly is the problem between the two of you?"

"She's too much like fire as what makes her so wonderful is also her biggest fault" Kyra deadpans, losing the smile she had reminiscing of earlier times. "She will pull you in to her only to singe your flesh and burn you. She burns too hot and it can become suffocating, like you can't even move. She will torch a path with little regard to the collateral damage she'll cause and she won't even give it a second thought."

"That is, uh, quite the analogy" Kyra can tell Sabyllos is trying to understand and Kyra appreciates it, but she will need to be more direct if she wants him to grasp it.

"I think I know her and then it's like she changes direction and I'm left standing alone in the dark" Kyra frowns as she's never shared these thoughts with anyone before, yet alone admit them to herself.

"Ah, that makes sense now" Sabyllos nods in understanding. "You had also mentioned a boyfriend? Where does he play into all this?"

"That's just the thing, I have no idea" Kyra sighs as she slumps even further into her cot. "He was a lieutenant in the Spartan army, Thaletas, and he answered my distress call before Kassandra did so he and I spent a lot of time together. He was a strong willed man and I appreciated his drive and loyalty he had for his men. I think a lot of what pushed us together was just circumstances, but I appreciated having someone to rely on. He didn't know about Kassandra and myself and I was going to tell him once everything settled down, but on the celebration of freeing my island, he disappeared. Nobody has seen or heard from him since."

"I don't want to add any distress to you," Sabyllos starts, trying to tread lightly, "but have you considered that maybe he found out about the two of you and just left on his own accord?"

"I had, yes, but there is no way that he would've abandoned Sparta, especially in the war. He was too prideful and he was never one to back down from a challenge. I've sent numerous correspondences to posts across Greece in search of his whereabouts, but all I've gotten in return is that nobody has seen him or even heard from him" Kyra sighs heavily as it had been a while since she thought about Thaletas in such detail.

Sabyllos looks at her with sympathy as it is clear she is a woman with struggles, but she owes it to herself to face some possibly hard to swallow truths. One's that he now has a responsibility to aid. "Kyra, there is perhaps a chance that maybe, just maybe, he's telling them to tell you nothing because he doesn't want anything to do with you?"

Kyra opens her mouth to speak, but finds she doesn't have the words. The weight of Sabyllos' words resting fresh within her mind. What if he did find out? What if he just left her? 

She deserved it if that was the case, there is no denying that it would have hurt him deeply to find this out by someone other than her, but to remain a ghost for a year? It just seems like a lot of effort to put in when he could respond back that he is alive and just doesn't wish to see her. She would respect that, but the not knowing has always eaten at her. Kyra can feel the tears return and is finding herself powerless to stop them.

Sabyllos scoots off his cot and goes to sit next to Kyra on the floor as he offers her his hand to hold. They are level and he can tell Kyra is trying to keep it together, but it is clear how emotionally drained she is and all it took was her accepting his gesture to let the flood gate holding the tears to open up.

Kyra cried as silently as possible, holding the hand of a man she barely knew, all while the woman she wishes were here to comfort her was in her room, angry and irritable, wanting nothing to do with her. How cruel the gods have been to her. She was fine alone in her new way until Kassandra came barging back into her life, making her realize all that she was missing once again. How easy it is to forget what we desire most when it is out of sight, but how torturous it is when it stares you in the face.

As Kyra cries the tears she so desperately needs too, she reflects on the questions Sabyllos had posed to her. What would she like to be? Who would she like to be? 

Kyra thought she knew at one point, but with Kassandra returning it was as if a boulder crashed into the calm waters she had created. Now she's in this ridiculous agreement with Kassandra about being "sexually, but not romantically" attached, but they're not doing anything sexual as of late as they've been too busy bickering and Kyra's already emotionally attached beyond what she should be. 

Who in their right mind would have agreed to something like that? That's just the problem though as whenever Kassandra was near, Kyra was never in her right mind. It was clear that she and Kassandra were on two very different pages and Kyra just couldn't see an outcome where they made it out unscathed, at least not right now. Kassandra craved freedom and Kyra desired stability. They were oil and water it appeared and Kyra needed to resign herself to that fact, but that would mean accepting defeat and Kyra didn't do that easily.

As much as she said she was ok with sharing Kassandra, she wasn't. She needed to stop lying to herself and just cut the cord as it was obvious by how Kassandra was acting towards her that her feelings were very one sided. She would just be making a fool of herself, well, an even bigger fool than usual and she deserved better. She deserved to be more than an afterthought or a warm body to lay next to.

Feeling better, Kyra sniffled as she wiped her eyes, the irritation setting in to them already. She squeezed Sabyllos' hand as she withdrew hers to try to get herself back from the brink of being a disheveled mess. She was grateful he didn't say anything to her, but opted to just silently retreat to his cot for some well deserved rest. 

Sabyllos had been a better friend to her than Kassandra had been lately and his only rival was Praxos, but they had a decade of history between them so it wasn't really fair. He had stepped up when she needed someone and maybe it was guilt for her almost dying for him or maybe it was because he actually cared. Whatever the reason, she's grateful for him for being here now.

There was only one thing left to do before she could rest, truly rest, she required a conversation with the woman who tormented her thoughts. It probably wasn't a good time, but she'd been on the cot for a couple hours so there was a chance Kassandra had settled in for the night, but she needed to try. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say at all, but she knew she needed to take a step back.

Uncaring that her eyes were obviously puffy and bloodshot, she lifts herself up from her cot and makes her way towards Kassandra's room. She presses her ear to the door to see if Barnabas is still there, but all she can hear is silence.

Mustering up the courage she so desperately needs, Kyra knocks on the door.

Kyra waits, still no sound so Kassandra is either sleeping or not in her room. She'll try once more before calling it a night and dealing with this tomorrow.

Kyra knocks a second time and was about to walk away when she hears Kassandra on the other side.

"I am trying to sleep" she hears Kassandra scold her and Kyra feels guilty about waking her because she knows how little Kassandra sleeps.

"I didn't realize it was so late, I will just come back tomorrow" Kyra answers as she now just wants to get as far away from this door as possible.

Kyra immediately backs up and begins to walk away when Kassandra's door opens, revealing her to be scantily clothed. Kyra only turned around to tell Kassandra to go back to bed, but the words died on her tongue along with all rational thoughts.

Kassandra is not shy about her body and for a good reason. The woman was built like she was hand sculpted from the gods as every part of her was tanned and toned. Her body covered in scars from her past adventures and exploitations, but they added a certain charm. There was no question, Kassandra was radiant.

"Kyra, was there something you wanted or did you just want to stare?" Kassandra says suggestively followed by a wink.

It was if a cold bucket of water had just been poured on Kyra with how much she shook to snap herself out of this stupor. Here before her stood her Kassandra, the one she loved and the one who makes her heart flutter, but who (just a few hours ago) was a completely different person towards her. She could not get pulled in to Kassandra's charms, not this time.

Remaining collected in her composure, Kyra squares up her shoulders and doesn't take the bait. "I had something I wished to say to you, but I can see you're indisposed so I will come back tomorrow."

"Kyra, it's not like you've not seen me before so why don't you come in" Kassandra jokes light heartedly, not catching how serious Kyra was.

Kyra didn't want to end up in Kassandra's room as she knows she's only got so much resistance in her and with Kassandra being practically naked, most of it was gone already. However, there was a chance that others could hear and see them so, for Kassandra's sake, she would continue this in the room.

Kyra entered the room, but never strayed far from the door as Kassandra went back and took a seat on her bed.

How Kyra just wanted to throw herself at Kassandra as she knew the night would be indescribable, but she also knew that it would not solve anything between them. She needed to get in and out.

"Kassandra, I have something I wish to say to you" Kyra begins, waiting for Kassandra's consent, but she realizes she didn't know what she actually wanted to say now that she was here. She hadn't expected a response and now she finds herself woefully unprepared.

"Since when are you so formal? You usually just say what you want to me anyway" Kassandra laughs, but it dies rather quickly when she notices that Kyra is upset.

Kyra had been looking everywhere but Kassandra as she could feel more tears brimming and she would not let Kassandra see her cry. Once she did look up, she noticed Kassandra's demeanor change. Kassandra looked at her now in such a soft manner that Kyra knew she needed to leave now or she wouldn't be able to walk away.

"I cannot do this" Kyra says softly, so soft that Kassandra wasn't sure she even heard her correctly.

"Do what, Kyra?" Kassandra questions as she lifts herself off the bed to move closer.

"Never mind, it's not important" Kyra replies and Kassandra continues to walk closer until there is no space between them.

"Kyra, what's the matter?" Kassandra asks, confused by what Kyra was avoiding to tell her. Kassandra places a gentle hand to Kyra's waist for support.

Kyra couldn't do this, she couldn't say the words she thought she needed to say. Kyra thought maybe some space between them was necessary, but the more she thought about saying it out loud, the less she actual believed it. She knows that she should just end what they're doing and just remain professional, but seeing Kassandra in front of her, concern etched across her face, she just knew she couldn't go through with it. 

Kyra's mind whirls in a flurry of confusion as she was met with the Kassandra she loved, the one who showed her a softer side. This Kassandra was who she was here for, to help and to protect. What was she even thinking? "Oh hi Kassandra, I saved you but I think we should break up because it's getting difficult." Ridiculous. It doesn't mean she forgave Kassandra for her behavior, but Kyra was an emotional wreck right now so making such a crucial decision on her future probably wasn't the best idea right now.

Kyra straightens her posture and takes a deep breath, calming herself enough to lose the slight tremor she had before. "I am sorry, it really is not important and I regret waking you up for this. I will see myself out."

Kyra watched as Kassandra's jaw tensed ever so slightly, most likely from her irritation at Kyra's unwillingness to talk now (and rightly so if she was being fair). Kassandra could mask a lot from the world, but Kassandra's tells were clear as day to Kyra. It was clear she was not pleased, but Kyra would chalk it up to her being woken up.

Kyra turns to leave, but the firm grip on her waist moves to her hand which halts her exit. Kassandra had slid her hand into Kyra's, but no words followed. They both stood there in the silence, the low murmur of her crew and that of the sea were almost fully muted behind the closed door. 

Kyra knows that Kassandra is waiting for her to make the move, but Kyra doesn't trust herself right now. Her moment of needing comfort had passed so there was no need to stay in actuality. The more Kyra thought about it, the more she wanted solitude. She just wanted to curl up in a ball in one of the corners and be left alone. Kassandra had unknowingly given Kyra a bitterness with her mood swings earlier that Kyra didn't realize until their hands connected. What should've brought her comfort and peace was only causing irritation. Kyra needed to leave before she did something she regretted.

Kyra plastered on a fake smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and gently squeezed Kassandra's hand. "It's alright, it's nothing. Have a good night Kassandra."

"Kyra, you know you can tell me anything that's bothering you, right?" Kassandra encourages, but Kyra's resolve remains strong albeit short.

"Sure, of course" Kyra loosely affirms before she moves out of Kassandra's grasp and exits the room.

Kyra closes the door gently behind her and leans up against it, tilting her head back so that it can rest. She closes her eyes and takes a deep and steadying breath as she tries to make sense of what she's feeling. Here certainly wasn't the place though so her moment of thought would need to be postponed for a minute. Clearly she didn't get it all out like she had thought when she spoke with Sabyllos and she needed to deal with this.

Kyra heads back to her cot to find Sabyllos fast asleep nearby so she gently walks over to lay in her own space, cautious to not make too much noise although it's not so easy to do when every step is telegraphed with a creak of the floorboards.

Settled down and comfortable, Kyra resumes her previous ministrations of staring into the ceiling, mumbling softly to herself. It was a habit she did when she was overwhelmed as it helped her feel like she was sharing the problem or dilemma with another person and she found she could work out her issues faster this way.

Kyra decided after much thought and deliberation that she needed to change her approach to Kassandra. It was clear that Kassandra wasn't going to take the extra step and meet her halfway unless pressed to do so. Kyra would need to step up her efforts and show her just what she is going to miss out on if her behavior doesn't change.

They hadn't been physical in a while and, as much as Kyra would've loved to be, it was, perhaps, to her advantage that they had a bit of a dry spell. Kyra didn't want to manipulate or force Kassandra into any particular state of mind since she wanted Kassandra to reach her by her own conclusion. This didn't mean, however, that Kyra would just sit back and let nature takes its course. Sometimes nature needed guidance and that's where she would come in.

It was just like Kyra told Sabyllos, she needed to be better than Kassandra to be considered her equal so it was time for Kyra to show that she was more than just a pretty face and a bedside companion. She needed to stop feeling sorry for herself that her life was hitting a rough patch and she needed to rise above it and do something about it. Kyra couldn't just expect Kassandra to change her ways for nothing, she needed to give Kassandra a reason for it.

With the outline of a plan formulated in her mind, her body finally allows her to get the much deserved rest she needed.

Upon daybreak, Kyra is awoken by Sabyllos as Kassandra had requested the presence of all crew to discuss something import. It wasn't as long as she wanted to sleep for, but the little she got was better than nothing.

The two of them make their way on deck as Kassandra stands at the helm, stoic as ever with Ikaros perched on her arm and a scroll in the other. There was not a trace of the Kassandra she had seen last night as this one was all business so that's what Kyra needed to be too. If she were to prove to Kassandra that she could handle everything thrown her direction, she needed to show she could pull her own weight and not be a burden first and foremost. 

"As you all know, we suffered a few casualties last night and some damage to the ship," Kassandra speaks, her voice remaining unwavering, "but we must not let this consume us. We must remain strong and untied in the face of our enemies. They may rattle is, but they will not break us!"

Kassandra's crew cheers loudly, their spirits bolstered by her words hell, even Kyra felt a little shiver run down her spine.

"My journey, our journey, is far from over, however, I would not be doing my due diligence as your captain if I did not share that the fight will only get harder" Kassandra states firmly, not wanting to sugarcoat the severity of what was to come. "There are bad people out there who will use every trick in the book to get us to fail and there is always the possibility that they might succeed. So what I offer to you all is an out, a way to end your pledge to me without repercussions. Once we dock for repairs, I will take my leave and leave Barnabas in charge and you will resume as if I had never taken control."

There are collective murmurs amongst the crew and Kyra looks towards Sabyllos for an explanation, but he is just as lost as she is. Why would Kassandra offer this? She loved the Adrestia, Barnabas, and the crew so why on earth would she walk away from all of it? It made Kyra think that she was about to do something stupid.

"I know, I know...," Kassandra continues in an attempt to quiet the whispers, "this doesn't make sense, but I promise you there is a reason for all of this. I don't say this lightly, but if you stay with me there is a high likelihood of death waiting for you and I cannot have any more innocent blood on my hands."

The crew look around at each other, their nerves and anxiety skyrocketing, as Kassandra continues her speech.

"I have been one step behind too many times as of late and this all changes now" Kassandra shouts, her anger showing as she slams her fist on the railing. "From here on out I will be on the offensive. No longer will I be waiting, oh no, I will be bringing the fight to those who have wronged me. That being said, I could not risk all your lives for a personal vendetta as this was not what you signed up for. We will make for Port Piraeus on Attika for repairs and then we shall part ways, at least for now. It has been an honor to lead you and I will never forget all of you, thank you."

Kassandra steps back from the railing, but the entire ship is quiet from the shock and Kyra doesn't know how to react to all this. It was clear though that Kassandra needed her now more than ever, even if she wouldn't admit to it and Kyra would not let her down. 

Kassandra looks towards Kyra and tilts her head in a "follow me" motion so Kyra quickly moves between the men to follow her into her quarters below deck.

Kyra didn't take more than a step inside before Kassandra pulled her the rest of the way in and quickly glanced behind her to ensure she was not followed before shutting the door.

"Kassandra..." Kyra starts as she can sense something is off, but is cut off before she can ask anything.

"Were you serious?" Kassandra asks, a sense of uncertainty in her voice.

"About what Kassandra?" Kyra responds as she wasn't following Kassandra's scattered train of thought.

"That you were going to stick with me. I need to know. Did you mean it?" Kassandra questions.

Kyra doesn't even hesitate before she responds. "Of course I meant it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"It won't be easy, this, all this," Kassandra motions around her with her arms, "being around me won't be easy" breaking her eye contact to stare at the floor beneath them. "I am difficult and I am meticulous with how I operate and I don't compromise."

"Kassandra, you forget that I know you and that doesn't frighten me" Kyra assures.

As much as Kyra was conflicted with what she wanted, she knew she needed to follow Kassandra as there was more to this story. This was not the end of their chapter together. No mater how much uncertainty there was in their future together, Kyra knew that Kassandra was a loyal friend most of all and it was something she would always cherish.

"You know what I've let you know Kyra, I am not the person you think I am" Kassandra says with shame as she still refuses to meet her eyes.

"Kassandra, you're not a monster" Kyra reassures as she doesn't know where this is all coming from, but she knows how cruel self doubt can be. "I know you like to think of yourself as heartless, but it's not true. I know you actually care for people and that you try to do what is right."

"You say that now, but you will change your mind with time" Kassandra answers, finally allowing their gaze to meet and Kyra can see the hurt in her eyes. There had to be something to trigger this as Kassandra was many things, but nervous and unsure weren't ever one of them.

"I got word from a reliable source about cult activity in Athens and, more specifically, I got word that my brother will be arriving here soon" Kassandra confides in Kyra, allowing her to share in Kassandra's personal demons. "I need to find him, but I know he won't be alone and I could use the help as my last attempt with the cult was not favorable, so...will you help me?"

If Kyra wasn't sure that Kassandra would rescind the offer and never spoken to her again, she would've openly reveled in the fact that Kassandra was asking for help and from her of all people. Instead, she maintains her composure and quells the shock and offers her a small smile and a nod.

Kassandra smiles and Kyra believes it to be genuine and she's now grateful she followed her to begin with and took that leap (both literally and figuratively.)

"I have never been to Athens so I do hope I'm not in charge of the navigation" Kyra offers as a way to continue the lightheartedness, but Kassandra's face changes like she's just told her something unbelievable.

"Truly?" Kassandra questions in disbelief. "Oh Kyra, Athens is such a spectacle, there's nothing like it. The Akropolis, the Parthenon, the Agora, all wonders you must see!"

"I've not had the time nor the resources to make the trip as it is a distance from Mykonos and I guess I just never got around to it. I don't travel much at all actually so there's much I've not seen" Kyra didn't want to crush Kassandra's spirit as she seemed excited to show her around, but there was no use in pretending to be the avid traveler she clearly was not.

"That's no matter, I will show you once we get there" Kassandra beams, clearly excited from the prospect of showing her around the city.

"I look forward to it" and Kyra honestly did and she thought to herself that maybe this trip wouldn't be as bad as Kassandra imagined.

Remembering something important, something she seemed to be forgetting as of late, Kyra speaks back up. "I will need to send a message back to Praxos though as I told him I wouldn't be gone long and that's clearly not true anymore."

"Oh, right, yes" Kassandra says as she clears her throat. "I have something you can write with and I can have Ikaros deliver it once you're done. Are you sure though that you still wish to come with me as it may take a while and I know you have responsibilities."

"My responsibility is to my people and the cult a threat to that so I am doing this for them, so that they may be safe once more" Kyra firmly answers and she watches Kassandra deflate a little.

"Of course, for your people, that makes sense" Kassandra says and Kyra believes there's a bit of disappointment behind it, but it is gone as soon as it arrived. 

"Well, I cannot promise you what will happen, but I can promise you an adventure and to showing you a world you've never seen before" Kassandra promises and Kyra believes her without a doubt.

"I look forward to it" Kyra says with a smile and Kassandra smiles right back at her.

"Please, feel free to stay in here to write as I am just going to pack some things for the journey, unless you'd prefer to be alone" Kassandra says as she begins to move about.

"Here is perfect, thank you" Kyra accepts the scroll Kassandra offers to her as she settles at the desk and begins to write a very lengthy and slightly vague letter to Praxos.

Kyra wasn't trying to be vague on purpose, but she genuinely didn't know what she was going to be doing other than hunting down the cult. She advised to him that she was in Athens and might be for a while and to send all responding correspondences here until further notice. She alluded to the cult without direct use of its name and that she was on a mission to cull them from the ground up and that she was unsure at how long it would take, but to keep her updated on any events and that she would return early if need be.

Satisfied, she rolls up the scroll and sealed it closed with wax to ensure it was not tampered with and handed it to Kassandra who then leaned out her small window to whistle for Ikaros. 

He arrived within moments and Kyra was amazed by how attune he was to wherever Kassandra was and would never be far from her at any given time. Kyra thinks it must provide Kassandra some peace of mind knowing at least something was watching her back. 

Kassandra tends to Ikaros, offering him treats and some gentle scratches on his head. 

"You're such a good boy, Ikaros, so handsome too" Kassandra says lovingly as she gives him a second treat. "Deliver this to Praxos on Mykonos and bring me anything he has to say in response. Do not hassle the critters either, I know how you operate."

Ikaros squawks in acknowledgment and takes flight with the scroll tied around his leg.

"I never get tired of seeing you with him" Kyra says, meaning for it to just be a thought, but her mind had a different opinion.

"He is the one constant in my life and I am granted for him" Kassandra beams as she watches him fly off into the horizon.

"He is unlike no animal I've ever encountered before. How did you train him?" Kyra inquires, curious to the methods Kassandra used.

"Well, that's the funny part," Kassandra chuckles, "I didn't. He came like that and we just have this connection that I just cannot explain. I'd probably sound crazy if I tried."

"I'd never think you were crazy" Kyra assures. "I've seen you walk away from things nobody should have and I've seen you injured only to be healthy the next day so having a connection with an eagle is not so farfetched."

"Thanks..." Kassandra trails off, rubbing the back of her neck. "I think you should head back up as we won't be long before we reach the port. You should see it from the water to truly appreciate it, especially since it's sunrise."

Kyra nods in agreement and takes the hint and decides to follow Kassandra's advice.

The remaining trek was a quiet one as all the crew kept to themselves and just went through the motions until they finally docked where Kyra was awestruck. Here before her was this billowing metropolis, larger than anything she'd ever seen in her life and it was just bustling with life.

She catches Kassandra from the corner of her eye and watches as she makes a quick exit, having spent the last hour speaking with Barnabas and the rest of the men. There were no goodbyes left, no sentimental speeches, just Kassandra, in full gear, with a bag thrown over her shoulder.

Kyra realizes she's just watching Kassandra walk away so she also makes haste from the ship to catch up. It takes her about a minute to reach her as it was quite crowded, especially early on in the day before it became too hot. Kyra found herself gawking at anything and everything as this was all so new to her so she marveled at its beauty as they walked.

Kassandra doesn't spare her a second glance as they move in sync with one another to whatever destination Kassandra has in mind. Kyra has no idea where she's leading her, but she would follow anyway, even to the gates of Hades itself if Kassandra were by her side.

Kyra had spent too much time doubting herself and her feelings that she just needed to act on her instinct for a change and her gut was telling her right now to follow Kassandra, wherever that may lead her. She just wished she knew where that was right now as all of this was so unfamiliar. The people reacted differently to one another, less hospitable than she saw on a regular basis back home. 

It wasn't until Kassandra grabbed her hand and began to jog that Kyra snapped out of her trance.

"Hurry or we'll miss it!" Kassandra rushes as she pulls Kyra along.

"But Kassandra, I can't even appreciate what we're passing now, let alone if I'm running and there are so many stairs!" Kyra protests as they've climbed endless sets of steps that seem to go on for an eternity.

"I didn't realize you were so out of shape that a few stairs would make you so winded" Kassandra teases, knowing full well Kyra would not just take it.

"Excuse me?" Kyra scoffs. "I am most certainly NOT out of shape."

"Then quit your bellyaching and pick up the pace or we will miss it!" Kassandra encourages Kyra whilst she herself is jogging backwards as if to show off.

"What are we running to?" Kyra asks, slightly winded.

"It's a surprise, but you'll love it. It's just at the top of the stairs, promise" Kyra crosses over her heart with an eager smile and Kyra can't help but continue.

"Fine, but you're about to trip over a dog so good luck!" Kyra exclaims as Kassandra quickly tries to turn around to avoid the dog, but trips over herself as she realizes Kyra had just tricked her and there was no dog.

Kassandra is quick back to her feet, but Kyra had bursted ahead, sprinting up the ramps, taking advantage of the fake distraction. 

"Made you look!" Kyra shouts as she races up the first of the ramps, stopping to look down on Kassandra who's face was priceless. 

"When I catch you, you're in for it!" Kassandra shouts in response, but Kyra only laughs.

"That's if you catch me" Kyra winks and takes off, leaving Kassandra rooted.

Kyra's heart was beating fast and she wasn't sure she could blame it on the running. Seeing Kassandra so carefree and playful was the most magical part of her journey so far and just seeing her smile was worth anything. That didn't mean she wanted to lose though so she continues to run upwards.

Kyra could tell Kassandra was gaining heavily on her, but with a final push, she bursts to the steps leading to the Akropolis.

"I won!" Kyra cheers before she hunches over to try to catch her breath.

Kassandra takes the final few steps, conceding the victory and offering Kyra a bow as a grand gesture, uncaring to how the Athenians are judging the both of them.

"You know I'd have beaten you if you hadn't cheated" Kassandra jabs, her tone indicating it was in good fun.

"I never cheated, I merely used your own hubris against you. I wasn't the one running backwards" Kyra says as she lifts herself up and gently pokes Kassandra's chest, having regained most of her breath.

Kassandra raises an eyebrow to her and Kyra can only laugh at how ridiculous they're both acting. Kassandra steps closer into Kyra's personal space until there's barely anything separating them.

"Do you trust me?" Kassandra asks as she looks Kyra deeply in the eyes.

"Yes" Kyra answers without hesitation.

"Close your eyes and follow me" Kassandra responds as she takes Kyra's hand in her own and takes them up the steps 

"This had better not be payback for earlier" Kyra says with some light skepticism as to Kassandra's true intent.

"Me? Hold a grudge? Why I would never?" Kassandra laughs and Kyra can't help but join in.

Kassandra takes her up three more flights of steps before they come to a stop. Kyra can feel Kassandra scoot behind her as she places her hands over Kyra's eyes.

"Can't have you peeking now, can we?" Kassandra jests.

"Oh, I see how it is" Kyra playfully responds. "I trust you, but you don't trust me. Good to know."

"Shut up already or I won't let you see it" Kassandra responds.

"See what exactly?" Kyra asks as she's been kept in the dark (literally at this point.)

"This" Kassandra says softly as she releases her hands and moves to her side.

Kyra blinks to take it all in and as her vision cleared, she saw what Kassandra was talking about. Before her stood a massive statue of Athena, her helmet and chest plate made of gold shimmered in the sun light. The sun was hitting it just right that it almost looked like it glowed and Kyra was at a loss of words. The way the sun lifted from the sky made everything before her more surreal and she had truly never seen a more breathtaking sight in her life.

While Kyra was lost in the sheer beauty of what was before her, Kassandra was lost in something entirely different. Instead of watching the sun dance across the Parthenon, Kassandra took in the beauty that was Kyra. How her face lit up with joy and awe and just radiated this pure, unadulterated feeling of bliss was enough to take Kassandra's breath away.

"I've never seen anything like it, this is so beautiful Kassandra" Kyra speaks softly to her, her eyes still faced forward to soak everything in.

Kassandra, without missing a beat and her eyes still trained on Kyra, responds. "It is, so very beautiful."

Kyra spins to face Kassandra, her face plastered with the largest smile Kassandra had ever seen on her. Kyra engulfs her in a tight hug and Kassandra is quick to return the embrace. All of Kassandra's problems just fade to the background as all that matters is right here and now.


	12. Hello

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> Hope you all are ready for almost a 12k dosage of fluff moments because that's basically what all this is and, as an added bonus, there's also a completely unnecessary (but totally necessary) scene for them to be a little NSFW so you're welcome ;). I also introduce a familiar face to the series as an ally, but one who I've not written about before so I hope you enjoy that little twist as well.
> 
> I also apologize ahead of time if there are more mistakes than usual as I've hit a rough patch recently with life so my focus wasn't fully where it should've been so thank you for understanding.
> 
> Without further ado....
> 
> Karmin - Hello  
> https://youtu.be/lPE3nTzg0Hg

(Three hours before disembarking)

"Barnabas, a word please" Kassandra asks as she heads below deck towards her quarters.

Barnabas knows something is amiss as Kassandra rarely had any company in her room and the two of them has already spoken not too long ago. Curious as to what is bothering Kassandra, he follows steadily behind her and shuts the door.

"What's wrong?" Barnabas inquiries, looking her over for any obvious visual issues.

"What makes you think something is wrong? Couldn't I just want to speak with you?" Kassandra questions, knowing full well that he was on point with his concern.

Barnabas shoots her this "are you really going to do this look?" and Kassandra just slumps down onto her bed.

"You're right and there's no use in me delaying what I need to say so you need to promise me you're going to hear me out. Ok?" Kassandra tentatively asks, but she can see the rebuttal already forming 

"Whatever it is, I don't like it" Barnabas quickly responds. "Nothing good can come from a promise like that."

"Please, for me, just hear me out" Kassandra adds a tiny pout for good measure and, to no surprise, it works.

"Fine, I promise, but only because I like you" Barnabas relents as he takes the chair at her desk and sits down.

Kassandra takes a deep breath as these were words she never expected to have to say, but for his safety and the other men around her, it needs to happen. "I need to leave the Adrestia. For good."

"Absolutely not!" Barnabas sharply declines. "You shall do no such thing."

"Barnabas, you promised" Kassandra reminds him, but he won't stop.

"That is ridiculous Kassandra! Why would you even say such a thing? This is your ship! You're the captain! You can't just leave...." he rants, not allowing Kassandra to get a word in edgewise so she resorts to shouting.

"Barnabas, that's enough!" Kassandra shouts, silencing him mid sentence. "If you'd let me finish, I could explain it to you."

Kassandra takes his continued silence as compliance. "Thank you. Now, as I was saying before, I need to step away from being captain. It isn't something that I want to do, but for both the crew's safety and yours, I need to distance myself. The best chance I have of finding these snakes is by appearing that I've lost everything."

Barnabas leans forward, his hand brushing through his beard while he's considering her words. He remains silent still so Kassandra continues. 

"They are opportunistic and can smell blood in the water so I need to make myself as vulnerable and exposed as possible and I can't do that if I know you will be harmed. I care too much about you to let you come to harm because of a personal vendetta. I just don't see another option right now" Kassandra confesses as she slumps forward into her hands. The weight of what she's requesting lay heavy on her shoulders.

Barnabas moves to take a seat next to her and he pulls her into a tight hug to convey all the love and support he can muster up. Kassandra had become like a daughter to him and losing her would be more painful than anything he could imagine so he knew he needed to help her.

"Why can I not help you?" Barnabas asks softly, not wanting his tone to be aggressive in any manner.

"Because I can't lose you too..." Kassandra whispers as she suppresses the sudden urge to cry. "I would not be able to live with myself if you were to be harmed because of me so I need to place distance between us to show that I am alone."

"Kassandra, you are the most important person to me and I hope you know this" Barnabas discloses as he's never directly told Kassandra how he feels about her. "I would gladly take your place with your demons if it meant giving you the opportunity to live a healthy and happy life."

"I know you would which is precisely why I can't let you" Kassandra admits as she looks to her right to see his warm smile. "This is something I need to do for myself and this is the only way I can keep you safe so it is what I'm going to do."

Barnabas places his arm around her shoulder and pulls her back into a side hug as they both grapple with their new realities. 

"I know there is no stopping you once you've made up your mind, but you will always have a home here and your spot will be waiting for you until you're ready to return" Barnabas shares and Kassandra can't help but smile back at his stubbornness.

"You're stubborn, you know that?" Kassandra jokes, nudging into his side.

"I learned from you" he jokes back and Kassandra just shakes her head.

"I will do what I can to help you discreetly from the sidelines as I will not abandon you. You may leave in presence, but I will never stop supporting you" Barnabas says, bringing the conversation back to a more serious note.

"I appreciate it, truly" Kassandra says genuinely.

"What about Kyra? What will happen with her? Have you told her all this yet?" Barnabas questions and Kassandra is quick to shake her head.

"No, no I haven't. I wanted to tell you first and I don't exactly know what to say to her as she wasn't a part of my plan. Maybe you could just take her back to Mykonos after the repairs are done?" Kassandra suggests and Barnabas let's out a hearty laugh at the thought.

"Oh my sweet child" he says as he shakes his head. "You really expect to tell a woman who stowed away on your ship only to fight pirates and offer up more drachmae and gold than humanly possible that she has to go home? My dear girl, you've given her a taste for a dangerous adventure and she doesn't seem the type to just go home."

"Well it's not like she can come with me" Kassandra retorts.

"Why not?" Barnabas questions. "There's nothing wrong with having a second pair of hands."

"No. Absolutely not" Kassandra dismisses. "I work alone."

"And look what happened to you!" Barnabas runs his hand in front of her body to reminder her of her still very fresh injuries. "If not for the random stranger you told me about, you'd have died Kassandra!"

Kassandra wants to protest, but she knows he's right. If that random passerby didn't step in, she would have died that night and there's no denying it. That didn't mean that she wanted to risk Kyra with having her tag along on what could be a suicide mission.

"You have a point, but I don't want her to get hurt. I care about her....being a liability" Kassandra counters thinking to herself "good save, good save" as Barnabas just raises a brow.

"A liability?" Barnabas scoffs. "Did you not happen to catch her jumping off a railing to throw herself overboard with a man five times her size to protect one of your men? Because I very vividly recall this."

"I recall" Kassandra admits, keeping the fact that it terrified her to watch Kyra fall out of her sight like that to herself.

"So I don't think "liability" could even be in the realm of a description for her" Barnabas states, satisfied that he's gotten his point across. "I think we both know why you're hesitant, but I don't think that's a good enough reason to not at least ask her."

"I think you're looking deeper into something that you shouldn't be old man" Kassandra scolds him, but her tone indicates that she's not irritated about it. "I suppose it could help having her as another resource."

"Who knows? Maybe she will unlock areas you never thought about before." He offers. "While you've always taken the physical approach, Kyra has began to fine tune that of the political gambit and those skills don't come easy."

"Hmm..." Kassandra ponders aloud. "You do have a point and she could come in handy in Athens as that's nothing but politics. Do you think she'd agree?"

Barnabas rises to his feet, turning around to face a still sitting Kassandra. "I do, but I also know that you won't know unless you ask."

Barnabas offers her a hand which she gladly takes as the two stand up and hug for a final time, at least for a while. 

Barnabas takes his leave while Kassandra takes a moment to compose herself. She thought about his unwavering support and what he had to say about Kyra. The worst that could happen is that she says no and disappears from Kassandra's life once more. Kassandra would be totally fine with that and she'd just move on and it would be just like she planned.

Kassandra decided to wait until after her speech to find Kyra as she didn't want to have to give a talk after Kyra's "no" that she was anticipating. The more Kassandra thought about it, the more she wasn't against the idea of company. It would be different than anything she's had to do, but Barnabas was right, she did come with a political advantage. It also may be nice to talk to someone other than herself or Ikaros.

Kyra was easy to find once it was over and she attentively followed at Kassandra's silent request.

To say that Kassandra was surprised to hear Kyra agree to join her would be an understatement. Kyra had a new life, completely separate from Kassandra, one in which she commanded such a power and she was willing to put it on hold for her. Kassandra wasn't sure if the roles were reversed that she would be able to make the same decision and she just prayed that this new partnership was fruitful.

She had spent the final hour on the Adrestia with Barnabas going over all the known information on the cult to see if they missed anything. If only Kassandra could decipher their code, then they would be in for a world of hurt. Alas, neither she nor Barnabas knew it so she would have to do some reconnaissance once they docked. First things first though and that was showing Kyra the statue of Athena at day break.

Kyra had admitted to her that she'd never been away from her islands and Kassandra thought she was joking at first. She couldn't imagine staying put for too long, much less her whole life. There was such a world to explore and so many new things to discover that staying put wasn't even a realm of a possibility. She decided after Kyra's confession that she would take the time to show her some of what Greece had to offer.

Kassandra made sure to say her goodbyes before they docked as she knew they'd only have about ten to fifteen minutes to get to the Parthenon to see the sun rise. Once the ship was close enough, she hopped right off it and began her walk. It wasn't until a few steps in that she realized she had forgotten to tell Kyra she was leaving, but as she turned her head back, she spotted her hopping off to follow.

Kassandra hasn't told her about the statue as she wants it to be a surprise and she was hoping Kyra would take the hint to walk faster, but Kassandra can see in her peripheral that she was gawking instead.

After some light banter, they picked up the pace which eventually turned into an impromptu race. Kassandra didn't even mind that she fell flat on her face as when she got up, Kyra had looked more radiant than Kassandra had ever seen her look before.

Kyra's hair swayed gently in the breeze and Kassandra could see a pure and true smile on her face that she'd never seen before. Before her stood a woman who was carefree and living in the moment. She was no longer "Kyra, leader of the Silver Islands," but just plain Kyra. Here in this moment she was free of all her responsibilities and obligations. Kassandra wishes she could capture and savor this moment forever, but she would just have to commit it to memory for now and strive to keep putting the same look on her face as much as possible. That doesn't mean she intended to lose though.

Quickly making her way back to her feet, Kassandra rushes to catch up. She almost recovered, but the distraction was enough and Kyra was the winner, questionable tactics aside. It was clear Kyra was more winded than she wanted to let on, but Kassandra appreciated the efforts nonetheless and offered her a bow of concession. Kassandra knew that she wasn't average when it came to physical endurance so the fact that Kyra didn't get overtaken counts for something. 

Kassandra also couldn't help but to tease Kyra so it was only fair she accused her of cheating which, of course, Kyra denied and shot her sass right back.

Kassandra could only raise an eyebrow to her as Kyra laughed at how ridiculous they're both acting. Kassandra, however enamored with the now, knew she needed to show Kyra what just lies beyond them so she steps closer into Kyra's personal space until there's barely anything separating them.

"Do you trust me?" Kassandra asks as she looks Kyra deeply in the eyes.

"Yes" Kyra answers without hesitation.

Kassandra's heart skips a beat as Kyra answered her without any hesitation or wavering and she did it instantly. The sheer trust and faith Kyra had in her was astonishing, but reveling in that feeling didn't last long as she knows she keeping something major from Kyra. "How she trusts you now, if only she knew" Kassandra thinks to herself, her heart breaking for the lie she's allowing Kyra to live. This is no time to be morose as it's important for her to show Kyra what wonders their world has to offer and she will do it with a smile.

"Close your eyes and follow me" Kassandra responds as she takes Kyra's hand in her own and takes them up the steps.

Kassandra takes great care in ensuring that Kyra doesn't trip up the stairs as that would be a terrible way to begin their journey. Kassandra looks ahead and can tell the sun is about to hit the right spot so she positions Kyra as close to the pillar as possible so that she can take in what she's about to see without having to strain her neck.

Kassandra positions herself directly behind Kyra so that her view would be unobstructed and she places her hands over Kyra's eyes for good measure. 

"Can't have you peeking now, can we?" Kassandra jests.

"Oh, I see how it is" Kyra playfully responds. "I trust you, but you don't trust me. Good to know."

Thankfully Kyra can't see her smile falter as the words ring true than Kassandra ever wished. She mentally shakes it off and focuses her attention back to Kyra.

"Shut up already or I won't let you see it" Kassandra responds.

"See what exactly?" Kyra asks.

"This" Kassandra says softly as she releases her hands and moves to her side.

Kassandra wanted to be a bit selfish, she wanted to watch as Kyra soaked in everything that was in front of her and enjoy the unfiltered response that Kyra was emitting.

Kyra's eyes shined brightly as she marveled in the statue of Athena as her helmet and chest plate made of gold shimmered in the sun light. The sun was hitting it just right that it almost looked like it glowed as Kassandra discovered many years ago. A mesmerizing sight on it's own, but instead of watching the sun dance across the Parthenon, Kassandra took in the beauty that was Kyra. How her face lit up with joy and awe and just radiated this pure, unadulterated feeling of bliss was enough to take Kassandra's breath away.

"I've never seen anything like it, this is so beautiful Kassandra" Kyra speaks softly to her, her eyes still faced forward to soak everything in.

Kassandra, without missing a beat and her eyes still trained on Kyra, responds. "It is, so very beautiful."

Kyra spins to face Kassandra, her face plastered with the largest smile Kassandra had ever seen on her. Kyra engulfs her in a tight hug and Kassandra is quick to return the embrace, savoring the moment.

Kassandra loses track of how long they stay like that, but it was never as if she was counting to begin with. Every awful thing that has happened to her in the last couple days was a distant memory as all that mattered now was the two of them, right now.

Kassandra reluctantly pulls back after a while as she did come here with a purpose and she couldn't get too distracted.

"I have a friend here who we can surely stay with while we're here, but I will warn you that he can be a bit..." Kassandra pauses to try to think of the right word to describe him as he was colorful and unabashedly bold, but she also didn't want to scare Kyra away before they even met, "eccentric."

"I'm sure he cannot be that bad Kassandra, you're just a stick in the mud" Kyra playfully responds, nudging her gently.

Kassandra just smiles and shakes her head as she's sure Kyra will change her tune within an hour of meeting him. 

"You'll take that back soon enough" Kassandra responds, allowing herself a small laugh for how unprepared Kyra will be. "Come, it's not too far from here."

The journey to meet her friend would take about ten minutes as they have to walk back down all of the ramps and stairs and neither were in any hurry this time, but Kassandra knew that there was no way he'd be awake so she needed to kill some time.

"I am going to show you the city of Athens, but do not be fooled as beneath this exterior lives a rot that slowly is consuming this people and it's livelihood. Athens is a place of wonder, but it can be dangerous if the wrong people are crossed" Kassandra warns as she wants to not allow Kyra to be completely taken in by this place without giving her the whole picture.

"I understand" Kyra acknowledges. "It's a shame such beautiful places are usually the ones to fall first. I will be cautious, but I still wish to see what all this hype is about if you're not opposed."

"Of course, just pick a path and I'll tell you what I know about anything you wish" and Kassandra does as the two set off exploring.

Kassandra continues to steal glances at Kyra as they walk in the ever crowded streets as the vendors prepare their wares for the day ahead. Kassandra felt as if she were seeing some of these statues and buildings in a new perspective as Kyra reacted with her small gasps. Kassandra never gave them much thought before as they were nothing special to her, but maybe she just didn't have the right point of view.

Kassandra decides to take point and leads them towards a large and ornate home, covered with various festive decorations. There were colorful fabrics everywhere and it was set up in such a way that there would be no mistaking that this was the party hub of the city.

Kassandra knows that there's a good probability that he's still asleep with three or four of his conquests at this time, but he would eventually forgive her for walking him up.

She knocks loudly on the door as there is a good chance he's got a hangover and she knows she'll have to be loud and persistent to get him to move.

Kassandra rolls her eyes because of course he's not going to answer the first time, he's going to make her work for it.

Kassandra pounds harder this time with more persistence. "I know you're in there so get your ass up."

This time, Kassandra can hear complaints muffled behind the door before he pulls it open.

"Kassandra?" He questions as he was not expecting her company anytime soon. "Decided to finally take me up on my offer? The bed is still warm you know..."

Kassandra huffs as his persistence as pigs would have to fly for that to happen.

"How generous as always, but no, that's not why I'm here" Kassandra declines politely. "I was wondering if we could stay with you for a day or two while we're in town."

"We?" He questions excitedly as he's known Kassandra for a long time and not once has he met any of her conquests.

Kassandra shifts so Kyra is easily seen and she proceeds with the introductions. "This is Kyra. Kyra, this is Alkibiades."

"Oh my Kassandra, she is a vision, well done" Alkibiades teases and Kassandra does her second eye roll of what will presumably be many more for the day.

"It's nothing like that Alkibiades so calm yourself" Kassandra dissuades, not wanting to get into this with him in front of Kyra. "Kyra is the leader of the Silver Islands and is assisting me with tracking some people."

"My, my....a woman of beauty and power. Consider me swooning" Alkibiades says as he extends his hand towards Kyra. She reaches out to shake his hand, but he quickly pulls her hand to his lips and offers her knuckles a small peck. 

"You are too kind Alkibiades" Kyra blushes at his boldness and flirtatious manner. "Your home is just beautiful, I've never seen anything like it."

"You've clearly not even seen the best part," he flirts, "the bedroom is this way."

Kassandra finds herself getting bothered by his advances on Kyra and decides to move this conversation elsewhere. "She's all set Alkibiades so tell me, can we stay here or should I look elsewhere?"

Alkibiades picks up on the shift in her tone and he can tell that he struck a nerve with this Kyra so he decides to play nice...for now.

"You wound me Kassandra, you never let me have fun," he teases, "but of course you both can stay for as long as you wish, my home is always open."

"Thank you Alkibiades, that is very kind of you" Kyra thanks him as he ushers the both of them inside.

"Of course my dear, anything for you, and Kassandra of course" he offers with a wink. "Tell me though, what do I owe the honor of your company to?"

Kyra looks to Kassandra as she's respecting the unsaid boundaries of not mentioning the cult without her consent. Kassandra nods to Kyra before she moves them both to a more secluded area.

"He knows Kyra, it's ok" Kassandra whispers as they walk so she's not taken by surprise when Kassandra tells him everything.

They end up in a pantry room as Kassandra needs to be sure this was shared discreetly. Alkibiades is a lot of things, but he was loyal and trustworthy, however, she wasn't sure who else he had laying around and those were the people she didn't trust.

"I am here to hunt the cult and I could use any information you may have to help me with that" Kassandra whispers and she can see Alkibiades go from playful to serious in the blink of an eye.

"I do have information that I think will be useful for you, but," Alkibiades peeks his head out to scope out their surroundings and he sees one of his lovers moving about, "it is not safe to speak so openly here now as I may or may not have a few members of the Athenian guardsmen in my home at the moment." 

Kassandra reaches for her blade, but he stills her hand. "They're awaking from last nights...festivities, so I think you two should lay low while I escort them out."

Alkibiades takes his leave to round up his lovers while Kassandra and Kyra remain stuck in a pantry room until further notice. Kyra takes the opportunity to peek out the window and can see a completely naked man, make that men, walking around without a care in the world. She quickly turns away and sits down on the floor below the window, opposite of Kassandra.

"So, I hate to admit that I may be wrong," Kyra starts speaking after about a minute of silence, "but I think you may be right about him being eccentric."

"What was the first clue?" Kassandra chuckles softly. "Was it when he asked me to sleep with him, for you to sleep with him, or who ever you saw out the window walking around naked from your reddened cheeks?"

"Two men Kassandra! Just walking around completely naked!" Kyra utters in a hushed yet heightened voice. 

"One would think of you as a prude for how you're reacting and calling me a "stuck in the mud" seems a little hypocritical now doesn't it?" Kassandra asks rhetorically.

"There's nothing wrong with a lover, but two? At the same time? It just seems like much" Kyra says as her cheeks begin to blush.

Kassandra can sense this is not a topic Kyra is comfortable with, but she cannot help but to tease at this time as her reactions are priceless.

"Two is nothing for Alkibiades" Kassandra responds. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were at least four people."

"Four?!" Kyra says astounded.

"Yup. Oh, and there was also this one time where there were at least six or seven men and women and a goat" Kassandra shares, enjoying the deep crimson that Kyra was turning. "Perikles can throw some pretty wild parties."

"A goat...oh my...that poor creature" Kyra shakes her head, Kassandra assumes it's to get the mental image away. "Wait a moment, how did you know this?"

"I was there of course, I wouldn't miss it" Kassandra answers thinking she's asking about the party.

"You were there?!" Kyra asks, surprised that Kassandra would do such a thing. "By the gods Kassandra, how could you? I mean, why would you even want to?"

"He has good parties and it was a way for me to meet others as I don't socialize much" Kassandra responds, still not realizing she and Kyra were on two very different pages. 

"There are other ways to socialize" Kyra defends, not liking the idea at all that Kassandra was in what was basically an orgy.

"There is no better way in Athens as there are many men you can meet who become useful to you" Kassandra answers.

"Men?" Kyra questions as she thought Kassandra only had an interest in females from what she gathered. "I thought you didn't have an interest in them?"

"Who really does if we're being honest here?" Kassandra laughs at herself, amused by her own banter. "They are a pain, but they run the show for just about everything so it never hurts to have a few good ones on your side when the time comes."

"I have to say that I didn't expect this at all from you" Kyra admits. "I guess you're far from a stick if you've been with the likes of him and apparently many others."

Kassandra's amusement fades at Kyra's answer as she doesn't understand why Kyra's responding like this. 

"What are you talking about?" Kassandra questions. "I've never been with Alkibiades, that's ridiculous."

Now it's Kyra's turn to be confused as she heard Kassandra imply that she was there, she was sure of it.

"But you said you were there?" Kyra responds, confused.

"I was," Kassandra affirms, "at the party, not with Alkibiades. I only saw him twice as he requested I bring him oil for some unspeakable things, I absolutely did not stay and join."

"You didn't?" Kyra inquires.

"Gods no!" Kassandra laughs loudly, quickly lowering her volume as she realized they still needed to be quiet. "You could not pay me enough to sleep with a man. I would rather die. Wait...so you thought this whole time that I slept with him and those others this whole time?"

"...yes" Kyra whispers, realizing her mistake. To say she was embarrassed was an understatement.

"Tell me then, how did you feel about it? Knowing that I could've been like that?" Kassandra asks, curious to know how Kyra was feeling.

"It doesn't matter" Kyra responds in an attempt to shut down the conversation.

"Kyra, you can tell me" Kassandra teases. "Did you like the idea?"

"Absolutely not!" Kyra snaps, her mood souring rapidly at the thought. "I am not going to judge others for the way they live their life, but that doesn't mean I'd condone it. I mean, two people are fine no matter the sex, three is pushing it but socially acceptable in certain situations, but anymore than that is not for me and especially nothing with a goat."

"Relax, ok?" Kassandra leans forward to place her hand on Kyra's knee. "I was just teasing you and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset."

"I'm not upset, just perturbed" Kyra defends. "I realized as you were talking that there was so much to you that I didn't actually know and then it made me question just how much I truly knew about you at all. Even though it wasn't true and I misunderstood you, it still stands that there's so much of you that you keep hidden from me."

"Kyra, I.." Kassandra tries to come up with a fast response, but she knows that she's backed herself into a corner. She could deny it, but that would be a lie and they both would know that and this was not the time to tell her the whole truth as it would break everything she's worked for.

A knock outside where they were sitting interrupted anything she could've said as Alkibiades pops his head in. "Coast is now clear, come to my office when you're ready" 

He disappears as quickly as he came and Kassandra thanks the gods for this interruption as it postpones an uncomfortable conversation. She rises to her feet and dusts herself off before offering her hand to Kyra.

She knows that Kyra wants to have this conversation, but she accepts her hand which at least let's Kassandra know she's not too mad at her.

They don't speak further until they arrive in Alkibiades' office as she and Kassandra provide all the details they know so far.

"I think I can provide you both with something of use as I've heard a rumor about some recent misdeeds about a very affluent man here in Athens" Alkibiades informs both of them as he goes to his bookshelf to find his journal.

"His name is Hermippos, a very wealthy man who has property near the northern wall. It seems he's interested in purchasing some new properties that have been suddenly vacant near where the supplies transfer and it's raised some concerns. I cannot say with certainty that he is a member, but I don't believe it is a coincidence" Alkibiades confides his suspicions to the both of them and Kassandra feels a spark of optimism.

"Thank you, this is perfect" Kassandra says as she claps him on the shoulder. "Your help is as invaluable as always."

"He should be attending a conference tomorrow night, leaving his home relatively unattended if you wanted to, perhaps, have a closer look" Alkibiades shares, knowing full well Kassandra would jump to the opportunity.

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. Perhaps we can find more information on some others while were there. Everyone always leaves a trail somewhere" Kassandra states as she formulates a plan. This would be the start of her luck changing by the sounds of it.

"I have other business to attend to so I'll have to bid you both a farewell for now and please, feel at home here and don't do anything that I wouldn't do" Alkibiades offers a wink as he walks himself out the door.

"If I didn't know what I know now, I'd think that suggestion was harmless" Kassandra hears Kyra mutter and she tries to withhold a laugh, but fails miserably.

Kyra, to her credit, begins to laugh as well as they found their way back into a comfortable presence once more.

They spend the remainder of the day wandering aimlessly through the city as Kassandra took her further towards the outskirts and played tour guide as best as she could. The two enjoyed a quiet night in once it got dark and they both opted to review all of Kassandra's notes on the cult.

They both have had a long past few days so they opt to call it a night early as they both hope to sleep before Alkibiades brings in his new flavors of the week.

The spare bed is quite luxurious for the both of them as, to Kassandra, it made sense that he'd not own anything of poor quality and especially not something as important as a bed. They also have to share a bed as all other rooms are spoken for so Kassandra decides to be respectful.

"If you'd like the bed, I can sleep on the chair" Kassandra offers as she begins to undress for the evening. 

"Why would you need to do that? Do I smell or something?" Kyra questions. Realizing that she's not been in the water since their battle when she went overboard so she probably could use a bath. "Oh gods, I do, don't I?"

"Kyra no, that's not why" Kassandra tries to assure, but she can see Kyra was already getting worked up about it. "You are perfectly fine, I promise. I just didn't know if you'd want to share a bed with me is all."

"Why wouldn't I?" Kyra asked confused.

"No reason I guess, just figured I'd do the appropriate thing and ask first before I assumed" Kassandra responds.

"Well that's ridiculous, of course you're not going to sleep on the chair or the floor or wherever when there's plenty of space here" and just like that, Kyra dismisses any out Kassandra was trying to give her.

"I do, however, have a request if you wouldn't mind?" Kyra poses the open ended question and Kassandra knows she'd do just about anything for her.

"Of course, what do you need?" Kassandra asks, stripping off the last of her gear.

"I would desperately like a bath now that the idea has popped into my head, but I have no idea where that would be here. Do you think he would mind?" Kyra asks sheepishly as if bathing was this scandalous idea.

"I can put something together for you, sure," Kassandra agrees, "and I'm sure he'd be thrilled to show off his tub to you, but he'll just be jealous that he didn't get an invitation."

Kassandra knows exactly where to go and she heats the stones for the water that she pumps from his private well. His wealth was put to good use as he cared about his appearance far too much to not have his own personal haven to indulge in. Given that he also was a fan of multiple indulgences, the bath was spacious, more spacious than most she's ever seen. It could fit two people pretty comfortably, maybe even a third.

The stones only take about five minutes to get hot as Kassandra fills the tub about halfway full. She carefully moves the stones with a makeshift clamp of her spear and one of his cooking pots as she dumps them in the water, steam filling up her vision.

Kassandra turns to see Kyra already behind her, watching as she finishes setting the stones so that Kyra wouldn't have to touch them.

"All yours" Kassandra says as she motions beside her.

"Thank you" Kyra says sweetly as she walks up to the bath.

Kyra's hand travels through the water and Kassandra watches as she closes her eyes to enjoy the warmth.

"I'll leave you to it" Kassandra says rather quickly as she hurries out of the room as she noticed that Kyra was removing her final layer of clothing.

Kassandra wasn't sure if she could've controlled herself if a naked Kyra was present before her so it was best to remove herself from the temptation.

She decides to get some stones ready for herself as a bath sounds relaxing since she's still quite sore from her injuries and that she's still covered with blood from when the pirates attacked her. Kassandra was used to icy cold baths in the rivers, but with the option to have it heated would be delectable.

Kassandra decides to get a clean set of clothes for Kyra and she carefully places them inside the washroom, her eyes casted downward to not tempt a peek. She's sure she looked ridiculous as she practically just tossed the clothes in, but it got the job done.

About twenty minutes later, Kyra emerges looking refreshed and relaxed. "That was probably the best bath I've ever taken. He really out did himself on the set up in there."

"It pays to be vain" Kassandra responds with a smile. "I'm going to get one ready for myself so if you need anything or if anything happens, that's where I'll be. I'll also try to be quiet in case you're asleep by the time I'm out."

"Sounds good" Kassandra can hear her say as she entered the room and drained the used water. She refilled it with clean water and replaced the now cool stones with fresh ones.

Kassandra didn't even check the water before she immersed herself into it. The water stung her from the heat and she could feel her body putting up a protest, but she knew the benefits would outweigh the slight discomfort so she endured it. Soon, she settled and she submerged her head under the water, allowing the grime and dirt to be free from her hair.

Kassandra emerges for air and can feel the contrast of the heat and the cool air hit her face. It isn't too cold out tonight thankfully as Kassandra still needs to oil herself before she's finished.

Kassandra looks towards the table where the oils were located, but her head whips around towards the entrance as she hears a familiar voice.

"I recommend the rosemary one, it smells quite enchanting" Kyra speaks to her in a soft voice as she leans in the entry way.

Kassandra fights the urge to cover herself as she wasn't ashamed of herself in the slightest, but something about Kyra's gaze on her made her feel so exposed.

Kassandra's throat becomes terribly dry all of a sudden as she attempts to softly clear her throat to speak.

"Uh, yes, ok" is all Kassandra can seem to formulate as she watches Kyra's eyes roam her body.

"Let me help you" Kyra offers as she makes her way to pick up the oil.

Kyra kneels down behind Kassandra in the tub and pours a generous amount on it on her hands before she begins to massage Kassandra's scalp.

If Kassandra got embarrassed easily, what happened next would have ascended her soul, as she let out an unintentional and unexpected moan at the contact. Kassandra was always putty whenever she got a massage (which wasn't often) as there was just something so relaxing about it and it could remove all the tension she carried, no matter how severe. With Kyra though, it was different and Kassandra couldn't pinpoint why, but she wasn't going to complain.

Once Kyra was satisfied, she moved on to Kassandra's arms as she massaged the sore muscles. Kyra was in no rush and neither was Kassandra. They had all the time in the world and Kassandra no longer had any willpower to protest. Kyra moved onto her torso, paying special attention to her chest, before she trailed down to her lower abdomen.

Kassandra could feel herself tensing as Kyra's hand got closer and closer to where she desperately wanted her, but she kept herself from bucking at the movement by gripping the sides of the bath until her knuckles were white all while Kyra was pressed up flush against her back.

Kyra adjusts herself toward the side as she let's her hands travel over Kassandra's hip, her inner thigh, and finally down to her leg. Kyra continues to shuffle around to ensure the most contact possible and starts her opposite side from the leg up until Kyra's hand is at her inner thigh.

"Come, let's get you out before you get a chill" Kyra whispers into her ear as goosebumps start to show across her arms.

Kassandra doesn't trust herself to say anything so she just nods and allows Kyra to help her stand and get out. 

Kyra takes special care to not irritate her wounds as her left side is still tender from the attack and there's still some mild bruising as she dries her off. Kassandra, once dry, drains the water and accepts Kyra's hand as she leads them from the washroom to their bedroom.

Kyra pulls her towards the bed where Kassandra eagerly lies down, only to watch Kyra leave the room.

She's not gone for long as she returns with a different oil.

"Lay on your stomach" Kyra orders and Kassandra flips herself over with ease.

Kassandra can hear the sound of Kyra's clothes dropping to the ground and the footsteps she takes to step onto the bed.

Kyra places the oil on the floor next to them after pouring a little on her hands and Kyra begins to massage her shoulders and Kassandra can feel the heat from Kara's thighs as she straddles her, the bare skin against her own warming her body. Kyra leans forward to brush Kassandra's hair aside, she can feel that the only clothing Kyra has on is her underwear and anticipation sparks through her as she knows that all she needs to do is flip over and she'll be greeted with a beautiful sight, but she remains in place as her limbs probably wouldn't move if she wanted them to.

Kassandra can feel her stress evaporate and she finds that she's relaxed so much that it's becoming increasingly hard for her to stay awake with each minute that passes. Before she knows it, she's fast asleep.

Kyra notices Kassandra is fast asleep no more than five minutes into her massage and she smiles sweetly at the thought of Kassandra being so at ease. She knew that Kassandra had a hard time sleeping for the most part so she was happy to be able to provide her some relief. It wasn't how she planned on this night ending, but it was just as good.

Kyra wipes the excess oil off her hands on the sheets as she carefully removes herself from Kassandra, being ever so careful to not disturb her as she rolls to her side of the bed. Kyra pulls up the covers and enjoys its warmth, but she enjoys Kassandra laying next to her even more. She can almost forget what they're here for.

Kyra keeps the respectful amount of space between them, but its not even thirty seconds after she settles herself that Kassandra scoots unconsciously towards her and pulls Kyra's body flush into hers so that no space remains.

Kyra does not stay awake for much longer, but for just enough that she can commit this to memory before the reality of the world crashes down on them in the morning.

Kassandra doesn't even start to stir until mid day as she stretches to get the feeling back into most of her body. She opens her eyes to see an empty space next to her as she runs her palm over the space to find it cold.

She hadn't even noticed that she fell asleep to begin with and she could tell by the sun shining in that she'd slept for a very abnormal amount of time as she was usually up and active around dawn. 

Kassandra sits up and slowly stands to put on some clothes as she was not about to give Alkibiades a show.

Kassandra notices that her armor is missing and, instead, a peplos lay in its place. Her boots were still there but the rest of her armor was no where to be seen.

Kassandra doesn't get more than two steps outside their room before she spots her gear hanging out to dry, looking much cleaner than how she left it before. Nearby, she could also hear voice talking and laughing. 

Kassandra makes her way to the sound and finds both Kyra and Alkibiades in an animated discussion.

"You did no such thing!" Kyra exclaims as she holds her side from all the laughing she's been doing.

"I did and now I am no longer allowed back in the region. How was I supposed to know it was his sister?" Alkibiades responds and the two burst back out, unable to hold it in.

Kassandra isn't sure why, but it warms her so to see Kyra getting along with her friends with such an ease and it's clear Alkibiades enjoys her too as not anybody gets his stories.

Kyra must've seen her in her peripheral as her body turns in Kassandra's direction and she beams with a smile. "Good morning, I hope we didn't wake you."

"I am surprised I slept as long as I did. I don't remember the last time I've slept so well" Kassandra offers in response and Kyra's smile grows even wider. 

"I'm sure you must be hungry so I'll go and see that our lunch gets prepared" Kyra offers as she heads towards the kitchen.

"I like her Kassandra" Alkibiades shares as he watches Kyra disappear into the kitchen. "All jokes aside, she is truly remarkable and I think you have a keeper here."

Kassandra appreciates the gesture as she's grateful he enjoys her company, but she doesn't want to give the wrong impression. "Thank you, but she and I are not together."

"You are a malaka then my friend" he retorts. "By the time you see what the world sees, it will be too late at this rate."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kassandra counters, but her answer doesn't come from him.

"What does what mean?" Kyra asks innocently having just gotten back into earshot.

"Oh, it's nothing" Kassandra brushes off. "Alkibiades was just trying to be funny."

"Oh, before I forget," Kyra says as she offers Kassandra her plate, "I cleaned your armor as best as I could, but it's white so not everything came off."

Kassandra can feel Alkibiades hit her with his leg and she sends him a glare before turning back to Kyra.

"Thank you, that was very kind of you to do" Kassandra says before she takes her first bite of food.

Kyra settles in beside her and the three of them have an enjoyable meal.

After lunch is done, Alkibiades asks for Kyra's assistance with some documents so Kassandra goes to dress on her new clean and dry armor and takes to sharpening her spear.

The rest of the day was mostly wasted, but she and Kyra didn't need to be anywhere just yet as Hermippos' place would still be surrounded.

Kassandra sat for what felt like hours by herself as she waited for Kyra to come back before they emerged from his office. 

"I must borrow Kyra for another hour on business as her help would be invaluable for me at this time. Will you be alright while we're gone?" He asks her as he's standing in the main entrance.

"Are you sure you don't need me?" Kassandra asks in concern as she didn't truly want Kyra too far from her sight.

"We'll be perfectly fine and I can't have you scaring away who I'm meeting as you're cute, but still utterly intimidating so no, you can't come with" Alkibiades shoots her down, but Kassandra can tell he's not telling her everything, but it's not her place to call him out.

"Great! Come Kyra, let's get to work!" Alkibiades clasps his hands together as he pulls her out the door before she can even say a word.

Kassandra tries to fill her time reading, but she can't seem to focus as her mind keeps drifting back to Kyra. She eventually settles on tossing olives in the air and trying to catch it with her mouth. 

By the time they've both returned, Kassandra had eaten Alkibiades almost entirely out of olives. Kassandra was on a streak of thirteen catches in a row before she caught sight of Kyra and noticed that she was dressed very differently than hoe she left.

Alkibiades had bought her several new outfits for their journeys and even got her some new boots and wrist guards.

"How does she look? Ready to take the world down to its knees?" Alkibiades introduces her and Kyra does a twirl so Kassandra can see her whole ensemble.

"Absolutely stunning" Kassandra answers honestly and she can see a small blush on Kyra's cheeks.

"I just had to thank her for saving me so much drachmae on what would've been a terrible deal for me in the long run. She's smart this one, very clever." Alkibiades praises and Kyra's blush intensifies at all the attention.

"Right then, that said, we must be going for now or else we will miss our window, but if all goes to plan we shall be back after dark" Kassandra says to Alkibiades as she wants him to know an approximate timeframe in case anything goes sour.

"Understood, thank you and you both be safe" he says as he pulls them both into a hug before retreating into his office.

Kassandra nods to Kyra and they both head out towards the northern part of Athens. They walk in silence even though Kassandra tries to fill it with small talk, but Kyra's bubbly nature is clearly missing. Something must've happened when the two were out. Kassandra wants to ask, but she knows that now isn't the time to unpack whatever the problem was as they had arrived and it was time to focus.

They snuck their way towards the back of the property and they stayed crouched and hidden while Hermippos and his men got ready to leave.

Kassandra was paying close attention to the guard rotation and she was pretty sure she had the timing down so they could sneak in and put undetected.

They watch as Hermippos and his men saddle their horses and take off towards the city center. They allow an additional ten minutes before they begin to move in case he returned home early for having forgotten something, but it appeared their coast was clear.

There were only two perimeter guards that Kassandra had spotted so she pointed out the second target to Kyra while she took out the first. Kassandra didn't want to kill them, so she stuck with a chokehold as did Kyra as the two men were easily subdued.

They make their way in the back and spread out to cover more ground and they would have to be fast as they could only see by the light outside and that was diminishing quickly.

Kassandra had found some useful bits of information on locations in the neighboring region of Megaris that they would need to explore, but everything else remained coded or irrelevant.

Kassandra had not heard anything from Kyra since they split up so she makes the decision to go searching for her.

Kassandra steps into the hallway and is met with the sound of a door slamming and a loud a d angry voice echoing through the house.

"If that malaka thinks I will just fold under the pressure like a doll, he is dead wrong. How dare he accuse me of such cowardice!" The voice yells as heavy footsteps make their way towards her.

Kassandra is stuck as there is no opening large enough for her to fit through here and she could try to hide, but she'd make more noise that way. The only thing she could do was catch him by surprise and try to run and hope that Kyra got the same idea.

As Hermippos rounds the corner to where Kassandra is standing, his eyes go wide at the realization that he is no longer alone and Kassandra makes the split second decision to punch him in the throat before he can scream.

He quickly grasps his throat and drops to his knees Kassandra takes the opportunity to vault over him and run down the stairs. What she failed to notice was that there were already two guards making their way up the steps so she couldn't go down, she had to run for the roof.

"Hey! Stop! Intruder!" Kassandra hears the guards yell as she tries to slow them down by tossing everything she finds in their path.

Kassandra had still not seen Kyra, but she could hear yelling from the other part of the house and assumed they had spotted Kyra as well.

"Just great" Kassandra mutters to herself as she makes her way towards the door in front of her, quickly opening it and slamming it shut.

It was only once she closed the door that she realized that this was essentially a dead end, the one thing she tried to avoid this whole time.

"Who puts a door to something like this? Really?!" Kassandra complains to nobody but herself as she jams a small dagger into the hinges of the door to prevent them from opening. Kassandra remained pinned, having blockaded the door behind her as she tried to find a way out. 

Kassandra finally spots Kyra as she bursts open the stair enclosure, scrambling towards the railing only to realize it was also a dead end. 

The first three of Hermippos' guards ignore Kyra as they cross from the lounge platform overlooking the northern wall diagonally right of her to the open hallway she was on by way of a small roof platform. Kassandra takes a few steps back from where she had advanced in order to get to Kyra and notices two more guards who turn their attention to Kyra.

The three men in front of her formed an impassible wall that she would need to get through in order to reach Kyra. Kassandra lunges forward and easily counters every strike sent her direction, but as she was gaining the upper hand, she heard the unmistakable sound of the snap of an arrow being let loose above her.

Kassandra watched helplessly as the arrow passed above her, gliding right in the direction of Kyra who was pressed up again the railing furthest from the stairs. Kassandra watched as it struck her in the left shoulder, forcing her to take a step back. 

Hermippos them made his own appearance and rose from the stairwell and Kassandra could only watch as he looked over Kyra and took a few strides to forcefully kick her over the railing, sending her backwards off the side.

"KYRA!" Kassandra screams as she remained paralyzed. There was nothing she could do.

One of the men took advantage of this momentary distraction and lunged for her legs, causing her to fall backwards, slamming into the door behind her. The other two men in front of her rushed up towards her to maintain the advantage and Hermippos just brushes himself off as he backs away from the same spot she last saw Kyra. 

Hermippos and the other two men who were previously on Kyra make their way over to where Kassandra was sitting. They cross the small patch of roof between the areas and suddenly her idea of barricading the only way out wasn't such a good idea after all.

Kassandra's mind is a blur as she replays Kyra getting struck with the arrow and getting kicked off the side of the house over and over. Kassandra should have done something more than just watch. She should have been more careful, she should have just done something, anything. Instead, she is pinned against a door, a six on one ratio. She watches as Hermippos walks with an arrogance towards her as the men part to allow him to be closer, but not far enough that they can't act if she makes a move.

"It's too bad about your partner there, guess she should have just stayed home. It is a shame to waste such a beauty like that, she'd have made a wonderful whore" he mocks, trying to get a rise out of Kassandra but she doesn't take the bait.

"You are in way over your head Eagle Bearer" he continues, pacing as he speaks. "You really thought that you could defeat us? Did you honestly think we wouldn't know you were here? We have eyes and ears everywhere and we knew the moment you stepped foot on our shore."

"You, up there, get this damn door open!" Hermippos addresses the archer who shot Kyra above her and he quickly descends down the stairs to unblock the door.

"Now, back to the fun" he persists, speaking only fill the silence, glaring at Kassandra. Kassandra can feel his eyes burning into her skull, but she keeps her head down as her mind races for a plan. She needed to at least get to her knees and she knew that if she ignored him long enough that he would strike her, allowing her to reposition herself.

She doesn't have to wait for long as it is apparent that Hermippos has a short temper.

"Look at me when I speak" he shouts as he backhands her.

Kassandra tossed herself to the side as if his blow was stronger than it actually was. She averts she eyes to the left to observe if she still has the same distance between her and his guards and it looked as if they didn't move. This allowed her to rise, slowly, until she was resting on her knees. Still persistent, she keeps her head down.

"What are you? Deaf? I said look at me you bitch!" Hermippos, again, backhands her, but this time she doesn't move at all.

He continued to strike her until his hand became sore, but Kassandra remained sturdy and unwavering. What he failed to realize is that Kassandra was slowly drifting into a madness of sorts. With the possibility that Kyra was no longer alive, Kassandra began to lose all her morality.

He had put his hands on Kyra and for that he would pay with his life, they all would, but Kassandra would ensure that Hermippos' death especially wasn't swift. Kassandra could still see the look of horror on Kyra's face and it engrained itself into her very core and it broke everything good that remained inside her.

Kassandra began to laugh, softly at first, but it got progressively louder and came out in spurts. Hermippos was taken back by this behavior as none of what he knew about the Eagle Bearer had prepared him for this. He knew she was resilient and stubborn, but how she was acting in this moment reminded him of someone who was maniacal, unhinged.

Kassandra remained on her knees with her head tilted towards the ground, her body shaking with the uneasy laughter. She felt possessed by something new, something dark, something vindictive. Her body coursed with an unfamiliar feeling, a possessiveness that was wildly consuming her. 

Hermippos had made a fatal mistake. 

Kassandra lifts her gaze, eyes as dark as night, as they rested upon his and she could tell he was petrified by what he saw. Her mouth raises to a smirk with that knowledge so she continued to stare. She knew he was silently getting rattled as he took several steps back until he was at the other end of the hallway.

A chill passes over him as her eyes roamed him like a rabid wolf who's been caged and her eyes looked like death itself had overtaken her. There was a darkness within her and even though he had five guards between them, he somehow didn't feel all that safe anymore.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Kill her already!" He orders as he gets as much distance from her as possible, just in case.

The guards react, but not nearly fast enough. Kassandra had settled herself so that she was just barely sitting on her toes with her hands behind her back so when Hermippos gave the order, she used that leverage to propel herself forward towards the nearest guard while simultaneously unsheathing her spear.

They collide and Kassandra impales her spear through his lower abdomen before she rolls so that he is directly over her. Using her legs again, she launches him off her in the direction of the remaining guards all while holding her spear, letting gravity remove it from the guard.

Kassandra rolls forward towards the door and sets herself up I'm a defensive stance. The door still remained shut behind her, but she could hear the archer make attempts to break it down. It wouldn't hold for long, but she only needed a few minutes.

The remaining four guards quickly formed a half circle in front of Hermippos so that he could remain protected, but Kassandra knew it was only a matter of time as these guards were no match for her.

Two of the four jump forward, swords at the ready as they both try to swing at her in tandem. It was sloppy work as it increased the odds that they would strike one another, even if they were aiming at her. Kassandra would use this to her advantage.

Both guards swing at her and she quickly drops to the ground so that their swords connect with each other. Distracted ever so slightly by the near miss, they don't realize that Kassandra is in a prime position. She quickly slices the achilles on both of their heels and the two men collapse to the ground in agony, unable to apply any pressure to stand back up. Blood pours from their wounds and the horror in Hermippos' face is evident as he realizes how south this all has gone so quickly.

Kassandra slowly lifts herself off the ground, covered in blood, until she's fully standing upright. She cracks her head from side to side and flexes her shoulder blades as her grip tightens on her spear.

"Who's next?" Kassandra speaks predatorily.

Neither of the two guards make a move and it wasn't until Hermippos pushes them both forward that they even so much as breathed. They weren't stupid, they knew the kind of reputation the Eagle Bearer had, but this....this was something of nightmares.

Kassandra, not feeling generous in the slightest, launches her spear into one of the man's throats and walks directly towards her final obstacle. The final guard tries to keep her away, but Kassandra easily is able to telegraph his moves and uses her hand to punch him in the jugular. As he drops his weapon, clutching his throat in an attempt to breathe, Kassandra picks her spear out of the guard. Her eyes never leave Hermippos as she stabs the remaining guard through the throat.

"Now, now Eagle Bearer," Hermippos protests as he begins to walk back to the lounge area with his hands help up in a surrender, "I'm sure we can come to an agreement here."

Kassandra doesn't answer right away as she stalks forward, forcing him backwards towards the rail Kyra fell from.

"No words can save you from your fate" Kassandra practically growls as she adjusts her grip on her spear.

"I...I..." Hermippos stammers, trying to buy himself an out from the situation. "I can give you information! I know about the inner most workings and if I'm dead, you'll never know."

As enraged as Kassandra is, she also knew she needed this information and she would not have Kyra's end be for nothing so she places her spear back in its holster and takes another step towards him.

"Speak. Now." Kassandra demands and he seems more than happy to oblige.

"Kleon, Kleon is the man you want, please, don't take another step" he begs as he backs himself up fully to the railing. "He controls the cult for Athens and a few other islands."

"Where! I need names or I will gut you where you stand" Kassandra growls as she takes another step forward.

"Please, I beg of you, I will tell you, but I will need a guarantee that you won't kill me or else I will take this to my grave" Hermippos offers in an attempt to bargain for his life. Little does he know she's going to kill him regardless so she may as well play along.

Kassandra takes a step back as a show of good faith and she can see relief wash over him.

"Delos....Delos and Mykonos along with Athens. He is just one of many, but he seems to have the means to cause damage. I had heard he was in Delos last, but got spooked and fled" Hermippos rambles, unknowingly providing Kassandra with some answers to her questions she's had since Kepheus.

"Where is he now?" Kassandra questions, her tone still as sharp as ever.

"I, uh, I don't know," he admits and Kassandra begins to step forward, but he throws his hands out in from of him, "but wait, wait, I can tell you who else may know."

Kassandra pauses to consider his words and steps back into her prior position.

"Nyx The Shadow" he offers her.

"Where is she?" Kassandra asks, irritated that she has to continually keep prodding for information.

"She is everywhere and nowhere, her identity is a mystery" Hermippos answers.

"How am I supposed to find someone who basically doesn't exist to locate someone else who is a mystery? Hmm? Do you truly want to die? Because that's what this sounds like to me" Kassandra responds aggressively.

"There is also someone in Megaris, a woman who goes by Sotera, who is apparently close to Nyx who should be able to tell you more, I promise, please just let me go" he begs, his hands placed in front of him like he's praying.

"No" Kassandra replies sternly as she moves forward.

"But...but, you promised! " Hermippos stutters as he frantically looks around for someone to aid him.

"She did, but I didn't" a voice rings out from behind him and as he turns, his chest is impaled with an arrow.

The look on his face was a distortion of pain and shock as he collapses to his knees, too weak to remain standing.

Kassandra couldn't believe it as Kyra stood in front of her looking as if nothing had happened.

Kyra grabs the man by the collar and drags him over to the barrier to their left and leans him up against it before she offers him her parting words. "You know, you should probably make sure there's not an awning below where you kick someone off."

Kyra takes a few steps back and charges towards him, her boot crashing into his sternum as he tumbles backwards and they can both hear the audible crack of his neck as he partially lands on the post at the stairs.

Kyra looks over the rail to see his lifeless body and she does what anyone rational person does and spits on his lifeless body.

"May you rot in Hades for all eternity" Kyra sneers.

Kyra takes a step back and turns to see Kassandra and notices that she is covered with blood. Kassandra didn't appear to be injured, but she never knew with her. Before she could ask if she was ok, Kassandra rushes forward and squeezes her in a tight hug.

"Thank the gods, I thought I'd lost you" Kassandra almost sobs as the relief of seeing Kyra has soothed her ravenous taste for revenge.

"Can't...breathe..." Kyra says in broken spurts.

"Oh, malaka, I'm so sorry" Kassandra recoils and immediately let's go of Kyra, giving her space.

"I came prepared as I knew that you had a habit of getting into trouble so I put on this while Alkibiades and I were shopping" Kyra says as she pulls down her peplos to show a now dented chest plate.

"I just saw you get shot and fall and I just blacked out, I don't even know what happened" Kassandra admits, her voice shaking a bit as the adrenaline wears off.

"Shh, it's ok, I'm ok, I'm right here" Kyra pulls Kassandra into her and tries to soothe her with her presence and her words.

"You can't get rid of me Kassandra, as much as you may try" Kyra attempts to lighten the mood. "You are stuck with me."

Kassandra keeps her face pressed tightly against Kyra and hopes that Kyra's words will still ring true when she has the courage to tell Kyra the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to replicate Hermippos' place to match exactly what it is in the game and I walked my in-game Kassandra to each area to ensure it would actually work. 
> 
> Alkibiades' place I imagined something similar to House of Solon as I couldn't remember if he actually had a home or not


	13. Love Is Louder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday all!
> 
> Hope you've all have had a lovely weekend <3
> 
> Are you ready for just smut, smut, and more smut? Hope so as that's what I've basically dished out for you all this chapter. Who would have thought that little ol' me, the angst queen, could do fluffy NSFW in back to back chapters?!?! It's a shock to us both really.
> 
> Any and all feedback is wanted and welcome so please hit me up in the comments with your thoughts as I'd love to hear them!
> 
> Karmin - Love Is Louder  
> https://youtu.be/Ki1o5v_o3xs

The walk back to Alkibiades' is done in solemn silence. The gravity of the loss Kassandra almost endured tonight had shaken her deeply and she was lost within her own mind. Just moments ago she witnessed a horror she never even considered before and it became real in the blink of an eye. The life beside her was fleeting and there was never a guarantee of tomorrow, Kassandra knew as much, but she never realized to what extent this would bother her. 

Kyra meant a great deal to her, that was apparent, but why couldn't she admit this out loud? Kassandra had not told Kyra the depths of her admiration, ever. Kassandra preferred a method of silent assurance and gestures to convey her feelings, but she wonders if that's enough this time? Kyra could have died before her tonight and Kassandra would've shared nothing with her. It makes her feel a bit disgusted with herself that Kyra had been so open and so willing, but Kassandra lived in the shadows and gave no details unless absolutely necessary.

Kassandra had kept up her guard even after Kyra proved herself again and again that she was worthy of this trust, of this confirmation. Yet, she remains silent, biding her time for something unknown. What was she waiting for? There would never be a perfect time so what was stopping her? 

Perhaps she was too afraid of rejection as a dismissal from Kyra now was something she surely wouldn't recover from. This had been the reason she'd not told Kyra the real truth about Thaletas, even though she's had ample opportunity to do so. Kassandra became enchanted by her persistence and presence and now she cannot imagine a moment where Kyra isn't by her side. 

Kyra was understanding and compassionate when the world had been so cold to her. Kyra still stood tall and proud in the storm, unwavering as the blows kept coming. She truly was unlike anyone Kassandra had ever met before. Kyra fascinated her to no end as every time Kassandra thought she had her figured out, she got thrown off guard in a new and equally intriguing way.

Kassandra would have never thought Kyra capable of all they've endured the past few days, but yet, here they both were. She had fought pirates and had infiltrated enemy lines without so much as a protest and she was still walking by her side. Kyra accepted Kassandra for all she entailed and she welcomed the challenge of facing Kassandra's demons together, as a team. To have someone care so unconditionally made Kassandra feel one emotion more than the rest.

Fear.

Fear that this would all be a dream that Kassandra would eventually wake from. That this had all been some grand illusion from the head injury she suffered. Kyra would still be on Mykonos and Kassandra would be left to face the world alone. The idea had never bothered her before, but it was almost funny in a way at how quickly life could change your perspective.

Kassandra made it known to absolutely everyone that she was a one woman show, no exceptions. Yet, here she was, side by side with another and she found herself unwilling to see a future without her in it. Kassandra had unknowingly warmed to the thought of a companion and Kyra was the answer to a void that Kassandra wasn't even aware of. 

She never understood the gravity of team work and dependency on others as just about anyone she's ever associated with left her feeling disappointed. People were not reliable and they surely did not care for her own well being unless there was something to gain for themselves. How selfish the world was, a lesson Kassandra had learned very young, and how selfish it would remain. Still, she couldn't help but notice how her icy exterior began to melt around Kyra and that even the most inhospitable places could have a beacon of light if one only had the right perspective.

Kassandra could feel the inner turmoil raging as her tried and true self fought with her new self discoveries. Kassandra hadn't gotten to where she was today by being friendly and warm. She was smart, strategic, and isolated so why should she fix what wasn't broken? Why should she allow this woman to walk past all her safeguards? Then again, Kyra had shown an undeniable spirit and loyalty to her and surely that should count for something?

All this thinking was giving her a headache. She was grateful that Alkibiades lived nearby as she wasn't feeling up to a long walk. All she wanted now was to just lay down and be alone.

Kyra, for her part, never once tried to talk to her on the walk and she was silently grateful she didn't have to indulge in small talk. There was just too much going on in her own mind that she probably wouldn't have been able to focus on it anyway.

The bath they both had earlier was but a distant memory as they both looked a fright, Kassandra more worse for wear than Kyra, but both equally squandered all prior attempts at cleanliness. Kassandra couldn't find herself caring too much about her appearance as anything she soiled could easily be replaced and her desire for the comfort of a bed outweighed her desire to clean up against first.

Alkibiades was off in the distance from where they entered and Kassandra didn't even have the energy to stay and fill him in. Instead, she just walked silently towards her room, disrobing, and throwing herself between the sheets. 

This was why Kassandra never bothered with emotions unless she absolutely had to as they were quite taxing and she found that she couldn't handle them like the average person. Maybe someday she'd be open about her thoughts and feelings, but that day was surely not today and was a problem for future Kassandra.

Kassandra closed her eyes and squeezed them shut in a failed attempt to quell the voices that were arguing in her mind. So many options swirling for what she should and shouldn't do, it was becoming overbearing. She just wanted some peace and quiet, was that to much to ask? She didn't want to think this much.

Kyra, on the other hand, took it upon herself to chat with Alkibiades and fill him in one what they had found (omitting some key details for Kassandra's sake). Kyra wasn't sure what was wrong with Kassandra, but she knew her well enough to know that pushing before Kassandra was ready would only result in her retreating further into herself. Kyra had come too far for a setback like this so she would be patient and wait, even if it frustrated her that Kassandra so easily threw her walls back up. Until then though, she would take the company she had right now and see if she could learn some more about her mysterious lover.

She and Alkibiades discuss the events of the evening, their political views, local gossip, etc. No subject seemed to be off limits and the more wine that entered his system, the easier his stories flowed. Perhaps in his current inebriated state he'd be more forthcoming with more personal details about Kassandra.

"So tell me Alkibiades," Kyra begins in an attempt to steer the conversation where she wanted it, "how did you come to meet Kassandra?"

"Ah, that was a fun night" Alkibiades recounts with a smile on his face. "Perikles was hosting a party and Kassandra had attended for whatever reason and the gods brought her to my door. She wanted information and I needed oil for various activities so it was a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Kyra didn't realize that was the first time Kassandra had ever met him when she had recited the story earlier. What a first impression of a person.

"She departed not long after, but she would always make return visits and the two of us grew to be quite close" Alkibiades shares with a warm reverence. "Tis a shame she had no interest in men though or we could've been quite the spectacle."

"That would be a sight to see" Kyra laughs and Alkibiades joins in too.

"She and I are from the same cloth so it would have been doomed from the start" he admits. "We both are lovers and, although she is a bit more restrictive than I, we would've burned too hot, too fast."

"No commitment in your future?" Kyra inquires.

"I will never say never, but for now, I couldn't restrict myself to only a lone individual when I can share so much with the world. It would be a crime to keep this," he runs his hand in front of his torso in a downward motion, "for only one person."

"Do you think Kassandra is the same way?" Kyra asks, a bold question to ask someone who is a stranger to her, but there would be no other to speak of her so freely.

"That depends," Alkibiades trails off as he leans forward, "are you asking as a friend or as a lover?"

Kyra wasn't surprised he was still sharp enough to see right through her, but she'd come too far to back down now.

"A bit of both I guess" Kyra answers honestly.

Alkibiades' gaze was unsteady, but he still gave Kyra a precursory once over, freely judging her intentions. His eyes squinted a bit as if he were debating something in his mind and Kyra started to become a little self conscious with this unadulterated attention.

"I have not know Kassandra for that long, but in my personal observations I've never know her to decline an invitation to not spend the night alone" he answers and Kyra suddenly felt the air get stolen from her lungs.

Kyra had asked for the truth and Alkibiades was not going to pull any punches to spare her feelings. His answer shouldn't honestly surprise her as she was made aware very quickly at just how popular the misthios was. Kyra knew better than to think Kassandra inexperienced in this field, but she didn't grasp just how far that carried the opposite direction.

Sensing the mood change, Alkibiades decided to further elaborate on his prior statement.

"That being said, I've also never seen her act with other women the way she's acted with you" he shares. "Not once have I ever even heard the names of her lovers, yet alone meet them and share stories with them over wine."

"I am trying to be realistic about this, I truly am, but I just find myself so lost with her" Kyra admits. "I thought it may be different with us now, but I also know I'm not special, just an ordinary woman."

"I don't believe that for a moment," Alkibiades chimes in, "you are the furthest thing from ordinary."

"I am but a dull blade in comparison to the sharp edge that is Kassandra and I accept that, but I had always hoped that I would be the one who makes her want to stay" Kyra says as she lowers her head forward. "It seems as though she's always running and I just wanted to be the one person she didn't run from. That must sound so stupid."

"Wanting a home with someone is not stupid Kyra, I think you are too hard on yourself" he comforts as he leans forward to place a hand on her knee.

"I just find myself shrouded in doubt and I second guess just about everything I do with her" she tells him, allowing all of her deep seated fears to manifest. "I don't want to do too much and push her away, but I don't want to show her disinterest and risk losing her that way either. I'm constantly on edge."

"Kyra," he sobers up, getting more serious, "as much as I love Kassandra and want the world for her, I also know that she can be as perceptive as a rock. You cannot put in all the effort. Have you considered making yourself harder to get, so to speak?"

"I don't know if I could ever do that. I've tried before, but I lost my resolve" Kyra admits, but she couldn't ignore that he did still have a point. "I just can't seem to say no."

"I'm not saying you have to rebuke everything, but she should realize you're worth working for" he clarifies. "It should be organic and if you pull back, you will get to see if she is willing to walk to meet you."

"I suppose you have a point," she concedes, "thank you for being honest with me."

"If there's one thing I know in life, it's the act of love, and I think the two of you just speak it differently for now, but it doesn't mean that you can't learn one another’s in due time" he imparts his wisdom as he rises to retire for the night.

Kyra smiles in response, not wanting to discuss this any further as it was clear Alkibiades was quite tired and he'd been a good enough sport for her already.

"Oh, and Kyra, one more thing" Alkibiades speaks as he's leaning against his bedroom wall. 

"Hmm?" Kyra hums as she shifts herself so that she can face him.

"If she won't have you, I surely will" he says with a wink as he enters his chambers.

Kyra shakes her head and allows a small smile to creep its way up from the pout she's had affixed since they got back. She didn't even know if it was a joke at this point, but she will take the compliment at face value for now. As fun as Alkibiades is, he is most certainly not her type.

Kyra finds she's now completely by herself in a strange place and she knows Kassandra is just next door, but she can't help but feel a little alone nonetheless. Every time she thinks they're making progress, something happens that brings them several steps backwards.

Kassandra held her earlier like she's never done before and it was as if Kassandra couldn't have her close enough. It was a wonderful sensation to be craved in such a manner that it was almost a shock at how quickly Kassandra retreated back into herself when she let go. It wasn't as though Kyra expected a dramatic change overnight, but it felt as though she only wanted Kyra when there was a fear of losing her. 

Kyra decided to lay down as she was tired and her thoughts of that moment was rather taxing and exhausting. She also didn't want to disturb Kassandra if she was in a mood so there was no point in going anywhere else.

It felt like she had to walk on eggshells to protect the delicate state of Kassandra sometimes. For as strong and powerful she was as a misthios, her emotional range left much to be desired and she tended to overreact. Kyra knew there had to be something in her past that alluded as to why she was like this, but Kyra was never privy to Kassandra's life. In fact, she didn't really know Kassandra at all now that she got thinking about it.

Kyra knew that she originally hailed from Sparta, but had grown up on Kephallonia, but she knew not much more. She had eventually become a misthios, most likely out of necessity, and that she traveled frequently. Only recently did she even discover that Kassandra had a brother, Alexios, but that he was in the cult for some reason that has yet to be explained. She knew nothing of her family, her interests, or her general day to day activities. 

Kyra was aloof to even the smallest and most casual of details like what Kassandra's favorite food is or even her favorite color. All mysteries wrapped into the enigma that is Kassandra, the Eagle Bearer. 

Frustrated, Kyra sighs audibly as she adjusts to make herself comfortable on the lounge. It's nowhere near as good as a bed, but it was better than the ground. Exhausted and drained, Kyra curls up and easily falls asleep hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Kassandra was equally as restless as she had fallen asleep shortly after laying down, but it was fitful and broken. Each time she stirred awake, she reached for Kyra but found the bed empty and cold.

Kassandra knew it was partly her own fault as she'd been distant, but she figured Kyra would have made her way into bed eventually. She should get up and check on her, just to settle her mind so she could go back to bed.

Kassandra isn't sure what time it is, but the room remained dark, illuminated by only the moonlight coming through the windows and the candle she had lit to light her path.

She finds she doesn't have to go far as she spots Kyra curled up on a lounge chair. Kyra did not have anything to shield her from the brisk chill of the night and it was quite apparent that she was cold. Kassandra wonders if she just fell asleep on accident or if she was there by choice.

She places the candle down on the table and crouches so that she is level with Kyra. She didn't want to wake her, but she also didn't want her to freeze.

"Kyra" Kassandra whispers in an attempt to wake her.

With no response, Kassandra decides to give her arm a small shake. "Kyra, wake up."

Kyra just makes a sound, still clearly not awake as she shifts herself to turn away from Kassandra.

"You're going to catch a cold out here" Kassandra speaks a little louder this time. "Come to bed."

"I'm fine" Kyra groggily responds, wanting Kassandra to just leave her be.

"You're shivering and your skin is cold to the touch" Kassandra says as she rests her palm on Kyra's exposed hip.

"Then don't touch" Kyra snaps, swiping away at Kassandra's hand. She was not awake by any means, but she did remember she wasn't pleased with Kassandra.

"Fine" Kassandra huffs as she stands up back up. "If you want to freeze to death, be my guest."

Kyra doesn't bother with a response as she didn't have anything nice at the ready and she knew that fighting now would only make it worse. It was a matter of pride at this point as she was freezing and cold, but it felt like she would be caving if she were to return back to bed. It was absolutely stupid, but if Kassandra was going to sulk and push her away then by the gods she would stay away.

Rationally Kyra knew Kassandra was only trying to be nice and that she, perhaps, was too aggressive with her response, but she was irritated and she would reap what she sows. 

Unfortunately, her spat with Kassandra had made her acutely aware of how cold she truly was and it was going to be a miracle if she was able to fall back asleep. Letting out an irrigated huff, Kyra forces her eyes closed and begs her body to go back to sleep.

Kassandra had returned to the room, extinguished the candle, and gotten back into bed. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. What even just happened now? All Kassandra was trying to do was get her warm, but Kyra was uncharacteristically hostile towards her. She didn't know why Kyra reacted that way, but if she wanted to act childish then she'd let her.

Only Kassandra couldn't seem to let it go.

She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, but her mind kept drifting to Kyra. Kassandra didn't even know why she cared so much as clearly Kyra was mad at her for something and wanted to be alone and she should just let her. However, she couldn't quiet the thought of Kyra getting sick because of something so ridiculous that could be easily prevented.

Resigning herself to face Kyra's wrath once more, Kassandra gets out of bed, throws back the sheet, and walks back towards the chair. She didn't bring a candle as she was going to need both hands free, but it thankfully was only a few steps away and there weren't any stairs to deal with.

She didn't do anything to disguise her footsteps as she didn't want to startle her, but it was clear once she got closer that Kyra was still awake as she could see the slightest of shivers.

"Go away" Kyra huffs out as she pulls her body into a tighter ball in a futile act to get warm.

Kassandra doesn't say anything, instead, she just bends down to scoop Kyra up effortlessly in a bridal carry.

"Kassandra!" Kyra shrieks, quickly stifling her outburst as she didn't want to wake Alkibiades. 

Kassandra still remained silent as she carefully moved into their room as she didn't want Kyra to hit her head accidentally. 

Once in the clear, Kassandra walks over to the bed and ungraciously drops Kyra onto the bed below. Kassandra had been forward thinking enough to pull back the covers before she went and got her so she could do just this.

Kassandra couldn't see her expression, but she could hazard a guess as either shocked, displeased, or both. That would also be a problem for future Kassandra as present Kassandra just wanted to go back to bed.

Kassandra covers Kyra with the sheets as she returns to her own side of the bed. Kassandra takes her usual spot and is able to get comfortable almost immediately although it was a bit colder than she'd prefer it. Kyra was practically an icicle and was sucking all of the warmth, but Kassandra would deal with it as she was at least beside her and not foolishly without any barrier for the cold.

Kassandra also noticed that Kyra was as far away from her as physically possible without falling on the floor, but it was better than nothing. She'd grown used to Kyra's presence and felt a sense of comfort in it nonetheless. If Kyra decided to leave now though, she would not stop her as her due diligence had been done. Thankfully, for both of them, Kyra remains in the bed and under the covers and the two fall asleep within moments.

With a new day on the horizon, Kassandra wakes with a stretch. She cracks open an eyelid to see that it is still somewhat dark, but that it must be close to dawn. She also can see an empty spot next to her indicating she was alone again and that Kyra seems to have left. 

Kassandra instinctively runs her hand over Kyra's spot and can feel that it was still warm so she must not have been gone for long if that was the case. Did she truly get out of bed and go back to the chair? It was a frustrating thought as it meant she was really angry at her and she's not even sure what she did wrong.

Interrupting her thoughts, Kassandra hears footsteps as Kyra pads her way across the floor to get back into bed, blowing out the candle. Kassandra closes her eyes as she doesn't want to be seen watching her so she waits patiently until she feels the bed shift next to her. Kyra isn't that far away now, unlike earlier, so she decides to test the limits.

Kassandra felt emboldened in the darkness and she would stop if Kyra pushes her away, but if it works, she'll have nothing to lose. Going for broke, Kassandra reaches her arm out and lays it across Kyra's hip. 

Kassandra stills for a moment, but notices no resistance or movement so she tests the waters even further by sliding her hand up to her stomach.

Kassandra can hear a small hitch of Kyra's breath as she trailed her hand up and Kassandra grins like a cheshire cat at the sound, stirring her to press further.

Kassandra tightens her grip and pulls Kyra so that her backside is flush against the front of her.

Kyra was a bit cold, but it was a nice balance to the heatwave Kassandra was now feeling as her skin was on fire where Kyra touched. Again, Kassandra waited to see if she would pull away, but to her surprise and pleasure, she didn't move. 

Kassandra had two options. She could either try to go back to sleep with Kyra close or she could try to make a move and risk further irritating her.

No risk, no reward, so the choice was an easy one.

Kassandra takes her right hand that still rests over Kyra and slowly ghosts her hand up towards Kyra's breasts, stopping just beneath them.

Kyra audibly gasps and Kassandra can feel Kyra press up against her a bit harder in response and Kassandra had to fight everything in her to not just take Kyra right then and there.

But no, Kassandra would take this slow and ease Kyra into it.

Kassandra pulls Kyra tighter into her body and allows her head to readjust so it is resting right behind Kyra's own. Her nose was pressed into the back of Kyra's head as she nudged herself forward so that her mouth could be in line with Kyra's ear.

Kassandra could feel Kyra's heartbeat pick up and decided that she would push it to the next level. 

She slides her hand up the remaining distance until it lays faintly over Kyra's breast, taking extra precaution to not place any additional pressure, at least not yet.

She cannot help but smirk at the small sounds she's pulling from Kyra and she can only anticipate how delectable they will be once they're louder.

Kassandra again "readjusts" herself and let's her hand give a small squeeze and she can feel Kyra arch into her to gain some friction.

Kassandra wonders briefly if Kyra still assumes she's asleep, but it didn't really matter as she would know soon enough that Kassandra was oh so very awake.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Kassandra grips her breast harder, more deliberately as she kneads it slowly.

Wanting to explicitly make sure Kyra consents, Kassandra takes the opportunity to whisper into her ear. "Do you want me to stop?"

Kassandra does not stop her hand while she waits as the only way she will halt is if she gets a yes, but that never happens.

Kyra moans out and presses harder into Kassandra as she nods her head no.

"I need to hear you say it" Kassandra goads as she continues to caress Kyra's chest.

"Don't stop, please" Kyra chokes out as she reaches her own arm behind her to get a hold of Kassandra.

Kassandra takes advantage of their position and brings her teeth around Kyra's earlobe and gently bites it to give it a tug. That and her palming Kyra's breasts sends a louder moan from her lips which sends pleasure coursing through Kassandra's own body.

Deciding that it's time to spread the love, Kassandra drags her nails down Kyra's chest, leaving a trail of scratch marks until she lands back on her right hip and gives it a squeeze.

She is pleased that Kyra had removed her clothing at some point in the night as having her only in her underwear made this immensely easier.

Kassandra runs her fingers down Kyra's leg and dips towards her inner thigh, still dragging her nails.

"Kassandra, please" Kyra gasps out as Kassandra glides her hand over her center.

Not usually one for dirty talk (or even talking in general), Kassandra opts to try something different as it is clear Kyra very much wants this.

"I want you to need me" she whispers into her ear, sending goosebumps down Kyra's whole body.

"I, I..." Kyra huffs out as she tries to nudge Kassandra's hand where she desperately wants her, but Kassandra remains in control.

"Ah, ah, ah," Kassandra scolds, "I don't think you're ready yet. Although I do appreciate the enthusiasm."

"Kassandra, touch me, please" Kyra whines as she bucks her hips towards Kassandra's hand.

"Like this?" Kassandra teases as she runs her finger up the center of Kyra's underwear.

"Or maybe like this?" She continues as she traces a pattern onto the fabric.

Kassandra can feel the heat and wetness already and she takes a moment to revel in the fact that this is all for her. How it took almost no time at all to get Kyra worked up in such a manner, she'd have to remember that for future opportunities.

"I need you inside me" Kyra begs at this point because the pressure inside her is getting unbearable and Kassandra can tell.

Kassandra ponders dragging this out even further, but she also wants to touch Kyra as badly as Kyra wanted it so she was going to do what they both needed.

Kassandra pulls her hand away completely, causing Kyra to groan out in frustration, but that doesn't last for long.

Using her strength, Kassandra rips off Kyra's top off her as if it were nothing and quickly repeats the same motion for her underwear, leaving Kyra completely exposed.

The sudden forcefulness of the action causes Kyra to yelp as she's now successfully naked and extremely turned on by the show of strength.

Kassandra wastes no more time as she moves her hand to cup Kyra's core, allowing her fingers to run through her slits.

"Oh gods!" Kyra shrieks, relishing in the feeling of literally being putty in the palm of Kassandra's hand.

"Shh now" Kassandra chastises softly, gently placing a kiss behind her ear. "As much as I'd love for you to be loud, I think that's best left for another time as we have company. Can you be good and quiet for me?"

"Mhm" Kassandra can hear, albeit a bit muffled, as Kyra has resorted into biting her fist to keep herself quiet.

Kassandra decides to test this as she rubs her finger over her clit and swirls around it.

Kyra eagerly bucks into it, craving for more, but she remains as silent as she could be (which wasn't very at all). There would probably be bite marks if she wasn't careful, but her mind was too far gone to care.

Kassandra goes further, adding a single finger inside her as she pumps her hand, allowing her palm to press firmly on her clit.

"More" Kyra pants between breaths as she can feel herself so close already.

Kassandra wastes no time and props herself up on her arm so she can have more leverage.

Kassandra adds in another finger and continues her ministrations. She and Kyra moved in sync with one another, unified as a single mind. Kassandra found herself losing her control as she could feel how ready Kyra was and lit a fire deep within her.

How with just a bit of foreplay, Kyra was unraveling beneath her touch and it was as if she couldn't get enough of her and Kassandra lived for this feeling. Having Kyra at her mercy was intoxicating and it aroused her to no end.

Her body didn't lie and Kassandra couldn't deny that when the two of them had sex, it was like her body was bursting at the seams with every kiss, every touch. Colors became more vibrant, her senses were heightened to a new level, and she could feel everything with an intensity that was almost too much.

Kassandra has never felt like this before Kyra. The sex with the others was usually good for the most part and it got the job done, but it was nothing like what she felt now. Kassandra felt she had the world before her and that she would do anything to keep Kyra like this, in this moment. It is a bliss she'd never tire of for as long as she lives.

Kassandra continues her pace, rocking her hand into Kyra with more fervor on each thrust. She could feel Kyra clench tight around her and Kassandra let out a moan in response.

"Fuck, Kyra..." Kassandra husks into her ear as she presses her own hips into Kyra's ass to try to relieve some of her own needs. 

"You're so wet for me, aren't you?" Kassandra growls as she adds in a third finger that Kyra easily takes.

"Kassandra, fuck, I'm so close" Kyra whines out, her chest heaving as she can feel her orgasm build within her.

With the curl of her fingers and a hard press against her clit, Kyra's eyes roll back as her orgasm overtakes her. Her body tremors, a small earthquake erupting within her as she rides it out on Kassandra's still present hand. She can feel the spasms as her body slowly comes down from the euphoric high that only Kassandra could take her to.

Kyra may not have had half of the lovers that Kassandra did, but she didn't need to. She knew what and who always made her feel the best and that was always Kassandra. It was like her body was an instrument and that Kassandra was the only one who could produce such melodies that made her heart and body sing.

Not even Thaletas could hold a candle to Kassandra as he was rather selfish in that department and it left much to be desired on her end once he got his fill. Not like with Kassandra though, she was always generous and giving and paid you attention as if you were a goddess.

"You're so beautiful" Kyra hears Kassandra whisper tenderly and her heart melts. 

She promised Kassandra that she would not get attached, but when she spoke like this to her, Kyra couldn't help but fall a little more in love. She couldn't even stay angry at her for more than a few hours when Kassandra showed her this side of herself. The tenderness was what Kyra loved as everyone got to see the brash and detached that Kassandra fronted herself with, but only a select few were privy to a more gentle giant.

Kassandra doesn't allow her to bask in the afterglow long before she finds herself pulled to her back with Kassandra straddling her.

Kyra tilts her head up ever so slightly and her eyes meet with dark, almost primal ones looking back at her with almost a challenge in her gaze. Her body reawakens and any hint of exhaustion dissipated immediately. With Kassandra straddling her hips like that and with her eyes feasting on Kyra's body, she couldn't be more awake.

Kassandra's eyes roam Kyra's exposed body and marvels at what is beneath her. Never before has she seen a sight more beautiful in all her travels, none could even compare.

Kyra's body is marked with the realities of the world they both live in. Scars of a darker time, of a hard life, but it didn't diminish the value Kassandra saw in her. If anything, she adored her more for it as it showed that even the most beautiful of things could have imperfections, but that those imperfections only added a rich history to the canvas.

Kyra was a masterpiece if Kassandra had ever seen one. She was not versed well in the world of art and culture, but she could see why men would defy the gods and wage wars. To protect something so beautiful, so precious, Kassandra could finally understand why.

Kassandra doesn't look down as she feels Kyra's hand trace her newest scar, courtesy of Praxos from their last skirmish. 

Kassandra closes her eyes and takes a sharp inhale as Kyra traces it, finding herself nervous for the first time in a long time. 

Her own body was riddled with scars, bruises, and wounds that she could barely recognize her own skin. Kassandra was no masterpiece. If only she weren't so damaged herself. If only she could be free from all these reminders.

She's not sure why she got so lost in her thoughts and allowed herself to be caught up in self doubt. She also wasn't sure what this all meant for her and Kyra, but as she reopened her eyes and looked down, Kyra's eyes didn't show any judgment. Instead, Kassandra saw admiration and acceptance along with a small smile.

Kassandra's heart was feeling something so strange and unfamiliar the longer she looked at Kyra. Kassandra knew then something between them had changed, but she didn't quite fully understand as to what it was. 

Kassandra felt like she was drowning in an ocean, but that she wasn't sure if she wanted to be saved. She could feel something within her change like nothing she's ever felt before and she knew it had everything to do with the woman beneath her. How Kyra managed to have such a hold over her was perplexing.

Kassandra could feel Kyra tracing her hand down the length of her torso, moving down until she reached her hands resting in front of her. Kyra gave them a small squeeze, instinctively sensing that Kassandra was lost in her own mind.

Kassandra blinks to help her focus as now was not the time to be having these kinds of thoughts. Now was the time for action and she knew Kyra would support if she chose to stop, but Kassandra didn't want to.

As awful as she was with handling her feelings, she knew she needed to express something to Kyra that she wouldn't be able to do with words. She needed to show Kyra what she was feeling in the only way she knew how. She may not be one to say how she feels, but in this case, she would just have to show it.

Kassandra grabbed both of Kyra's hands and swiftly moved to pin them above her head. The soft eyes boring into her soul was slowly shifting into that of lust, of desire.

Kassandra hovers her head just above Kyra's and is met eagerly with a soft kiss as Kyra arches her body to reach.

The kiss was tender, wanting, almost an understanding passing between the two of them wordlessly. Kassandra knew she would have to talk with Kyra eventually about all of this, but for now, this was enough.

Kassandra speeds up the pace and meets Kyra's kiss with more intensity this time, tenderness replaced with eagerness and want. Kyra happily obliges so she and Kassandra continue to kiss until the need for air overtakes them and they separate, but only for a second.

Kassandra allows her free hand to roam across Kyra, the desire to feel her maddening. Kassandra wants to mark everywhere, staking her claim on Kyra as her own so she trails a mixture of kisses and bites down Kyra's throat.

If Kyra cared about having these love bites where it would be difficult to hide them, she did not say so Kassandra kept on.

What was a softer, gentler start has turned quickly into one of passion.

Kyra strains herself under Kassandra's grasp as she longs to have her hands on the misthios, but Kassandra is too strong. She knows if she asks, Kassandra would release her, but she decided to take an alternative approach.

As Kassandra worked her way down her neck to her chest, Kyra adjusts her leg so that it is in between Kassandra's. 

Using this to her advantage, Kyra raises her knee until she has it pressing against Kassandra's core.

"Fuck, Kyra" Kassandra moans into her chest as Kassandra subconsciously sinks nearer to her body to keep the contact.

Hearing her name said like that from Kassandra sends a jolt through her body and she can feel herself desperate for more.

Oh yes, Kyra definitely wanted to hear more.

Kassandra had found the sudden pressure against her core surprising, but not unwelcome. Kassandra was not one to receive in these cases for the most part as she found giving pleasure more enjoyable than reciprocation, but Kyra had a way to unhinge her. 

Kassandra found herself craving to be touched, but she also didn't want to relinquish the control. She would need to though as she still had one more important thing to do and for that, she needed both hands.

Kassandra regains control of herself and squeezes Kyra's leg in place as she glances up.

Kyra was sporting a devilish grin and Kassandra couldn't wait to wipe it from her face.

Kassandra leans forward in the appearance of kissing Kyra, but just as Kyra lifts to meet her, she pulls back slightly.

Kyra tries to move closer yet again, but Kassandra just teases her and moves back a bit further.

Kassandra just grins at Kyra's desperation, but she cannot deny her any further so it was time to drive her wild.

Kassandra nuzzles into Kyra's neck, placing lazy kisses against her pulse point until she reaches her ear.

"You're exquisite" she speaks softly in earnest as she lifts herself up so that she's hovering back over her.

"When I release your hands, I want you to grab the headboard behind you. Will you do that for me?" Kassandra asks as she slides herself a bit lower down Kyra's body.

"Yes" Kyra husks out as she nods eagerly in agreement.

Kassandra releases her hold and can see Kyra flex her wrists to get some circulation back. It doesn't take long before her hands go behind her, grabbing the headboard tightly.

Kassandra pushes herself back until she's kneeling between Kyra's splayed legs.

Maintaining eye contact, Kassandra reaches around behind her and undoes the binding holding her chest. She watches as Kyra's gaze breaks only once her chest is exposed. Kassandra can see her muscles tense as she grips harder to keep herself steady.

Kassandra's never been one to put on a display of her own body as she wasn't always the biggest fan of it, but having Kyra look at her this way made her forget her doubts.

Kassandra moved her hands lower until they rested against her underwear, her eyes never leaving Kyra's.

Kassandra watches as Kyra's pupils dilate as she undoes the fabric until it unravels beneath her.

Kyra's eyes drop to Kassandra's sex and her view is welcomed by Kassandra's ever growing arousal.

Kassandra watches as Kyra slowly licks her lips and Kassandra can feel herself teetering on the edge by her hungry gaze alone. 

Kassandra sinks down lower while leaning forward until her mouth lingers just before Kyra's awaiting entrance.

Kassandra cannot take anymore waiting so she glides her tongue up Kyra's folds and delights in the taste and scent as it overwhelms her. She continues her motions as Kyra bucks beneath her, so much so that Kassandra has to hold down her hips with both hands. 

Kassandra moves up towards her clit and gently bites the nub and is rewarded with Kyra moaning her name again and again.

Each masterful stroke of her tongue causes Kyra to moan louder and louder. At this rate, she wouldn't be surprised if the neighbors could hear them, but Kassandra couldn't find herself caring anymore.

Kyra took control and Kassandra found herself at Kyra's mercy as she grinded harder and harder on Kassandra's face until Kyra became unhinged, writhing her orgasm out as Kassandra continued to taste her.

Kassandra was not done with her yet and she knew she could get one more out of her before she became too spent to even move.

Kyra had other ideas as she relented the hold on the headboard and dug her hands deeply into Kassandra's hair, tugging her upward.

Kassandra allowed herself to be pulled as Kyra brought her into a sloppy kiss, tasting her own arousal on Kassandra.

Distracted by the intensity of Kyra's kiss, Kassandra doesn't notice that Kyra had slipped a hand between them until she feels Kyra inside her.

Kassandra gasps at the contact and bites Kyra's lower lip in response, accidentally drawing blood. 

Kassandra wants to apologize as it wasn't intentional, but all words die on her lips as Kyra slides two fingers into her.

She clenches herself with the initial intrusion as it was unexpected, but she relaxes shortly after as Kyra pumps into her.

Kassandra can't help but to nuzzle herself in Kyra's collar and push down to meet each welcomed thrust as she moans Kyra's name over and over.

She connects their lips and can feel Kyra smiling to herself in between their kisses. The moment blooming into something larger than either of them could've ever anticipated.

Kassandra reaches her hand back down to Kyra's very swollen clit and begins to rub it once more and it's Kassandra's turn to smile as Kyra bites her still bloody lip in pleasure.

It won't be long for either of them and Kassandra knows it so she attempts to quell her release until she's sure Kyra is ready, but she doesn't know how much longer she can wait.

Kassandra leans her forehead against Kyra's, her eyes closed, as they share what precious little oxygen is left between them. 

"Open your eyes" Kyra requests as she gently nudges her nose against Kassandra. "I want to see you when you come for me."

At those words, Kassandra has never felt more vulnerable. Sure she and Kyra have slept together before, but it was never like this. There was never this level of intensity or intimacy as Kassandra never allowed it, but she couldn't help herself this time and now she feels so utterly exposed. 

It wasn't an outlandish request rationally speaking, but it would connect them in a way they've never been before and it frightened her beyond belief.

Sensing Kassandra's hesitation and feeling her tense up, Kyra tries a different approach.

"Please, for me, let me see you" Kyra pleads with tender kisses along Kassandra's jaw.

Kassandra was hard pressed to decline anything that Kyra asked of her, she always had been. There was something in her voice though and that blended with how she asked it, for her benefit, that made Kassandra cave.

With hesitancy, Kassandra opens her eyes to see Kyra's shining back at her, eyes shining like the stars. That was all it took for Kassandra and, for Kyra, looking deeply into her lovers eyes was enough for her too. 

They both scream out each other's name as Kassandra collapses down onto Kyra as they let the pleasure overtake them and allow euphoria to take control.

Their chests heave as they both are breathing heavily and their limbs remain intertwined as Kassandra makes no effort to move just yet.

This was all too much for Kassandra to absorb. She could feel tears building up inside her as she came down back to reality, but she didn't want Kyra to see her like this.

Kassandra rolled back to her side, now cold with abandon, and allowed herself to feel the sharp contrast between her overheated body and that of cool sheets. It gave her something to focus her mind on while it battled with what this all meant. 

Kyra, blissfully unaware of Kassandra's inner turmoil, rolls over to follow Kassandra as she places her head on her chest and slings her arm across her stomach. The strong and steady heartbeat soothed her, allowing her to drift quickly into sleep, safe within Kassandra's arms.

Kassandra on the other hand was now completely awake and utterly confused as the seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours. 

What did she even want it to mean between them? She used to be so sure, but now had doubts and was really just unsure. She would need to figure it out before they both got hurt. 

As the silent tears fell, Kassandra comes to at least one conclusion. She had never felt so close to someone yet so equally alone at the same time. How Kyra filled her heart with something so strong that it also caused such fear.

For the first time in a long time, Kassandra finally found something that scared her.


	14. Sugar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back my faithful readers! 
> 
> I hope you have all recovered from how hot and heavy our gals were last chapter because it's now time for the adventure to really start!
> 
> Back when I had started this fic, a question was posed to me about addressing a certain moment in Kassandra's life and what option I would choose (or if I would address it at all). I originally hadn't planned on it, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it would bring something unique to this story so a big backstory for Kassandra will make an appearance.
> 
> Please take this as encouragement to share with me your thoughts on what I write because I do listen and if I can make it work with my idea, I'm more than happy to include it. I may be writing this story, but I want you all to connect with it too.
> 
> Karmin - Sugar  
> https://youtu.be/srSSwuzkz-U

Kyra awakens much later to the sun shining bright in the sky. It must be close to almost mid day by now, but Kyra couldn't care less as there was nothing pressing they had to do, but head to Megaris at some point. Kassandra had told her previously that the journey would not be that long so she didn't feel guilty about sleeping away most of the morning.

Kyra does a quick stretch and looks towards Kassandra's side of the bed, noting that it was empty, and thinks about how quickly everything happened with them as she runs her hand over the sheets. They are cool to the touch, but this doesn't surprise her any as it was a rare day that Kassandra would allow herself to sleep in.

Blushing as she reminisces about Kassandra's hands on her body, Kyra smiles and feels a comfort she's not had before as she settles back into her pillow. A feeling of contentment took over her and Kyra allowed herself to feel truly happy in this moment. Her thoughts easily drifting back to Kassandra at every moment.

She had wanted this kind of connection with Kassandra for a long time, but she was sure she'd not live to see it reciprocated. Yet here she was, basking in an afterglow caused by the very person she thought impossible. Kyra knew Kassandra had to have felt something too, there was no other explanation. She would have to be cautious though as Kassandra was an emotional minefield and Kyra did not want to risk setting her off. 

She could be patient if it mean having Kassandra in the long run, at least that's what she was telling herself. She was willing to put in the effort it took to show Kassandra that she will stand by her. She just had to trust that Kassandra wouldn't break her heart in the process, but she knew that it would inevitably come sooner or later.

At this point, Kyra wasn't sure if she could stand to see Kassandra with anyone else. They've never agreed to be exclusive, clearly given that stupid deal they both agreed to, but Kyra at least thought it was implied by this point. She hadn't seen Kassandra seek anyone else, but they haven't been on the road very long so time would have to tell.

Speaking of the road, she had better get dressed before too much daylight goes by as Kassandra had wanted to make the trip today to Megaris in search of Sotera so there was no use lingering at Alkibiades'.

Kyra gets out of bed and heads towards the vanity. She grabs a cloth from the now cold water and holds it towards her chest as she takes in her appearance in the mirror.

Kyra still had some blood on her from yesterday as neither she nor Kassandra had bothered to clean themselves up. What was most apparent though was the small bruises that covered her body.

Kyra places her hand to press them gently and can feel their tenderness. Kassandra had thoroughly marked her and each love bite Kyra cleaned brought a small smile across Kyra's lips.

Kyra adored this as it meant that what happened between them wasn't a dream. There was no denying what they did between them now as these marks were as real as they come.

Kyra doesn't linger as she doesn't want to remain naked like this in a home that's not hers so she quickly wipes herself down before dressing.

As Kyra combs out her tangled hair, she can see a few of the marks above her collar. She's got nothing she can use to hide them so she has to hope that nobody notices. Perhaps to the untrained eye they'll just look like she got in a scuffle and got the tail end of a beating.

To the untrained eye perhaps, but Alkibiades was the first one she spotted as she dressed and exited her room and by his appraising glance, he definitely knew what happened and what those were.

Kyra reddens at the thought, but Alkibiades by some miracle doesn’t tease her for it. He only winks as he continues his walk towards where there were a few people gathered.

The gathering seemed very casual, but it was clear within a few moments that it wasn't just a friendly get together. 

Kyra averts her eyes to give what privacy she can and decides that now would be a good time to find Kassandra.

She was going to go and ask, but it didn't seem like the right thing to do anymore so she'd just have to find her by herself. His place wasn't that big so it shouldn't be too hard.

Well, turns out she was wrong.

"Where could you even be?" Kyra mutters to herself as she opens the final door, having checked every other room in the house. She had ended up searching every room imaginable, but Kassandra was still missing.

Kyra walks to the main entrance and decides to go look outside and see if maybe she went for a walk, but she doesn't get a chance before she hears a thud from behind her.

Spinning around, Kyra comes face to face with Kassandra who's smiling a bit smugly as she had caught her off guard.

"Do you get joy from startling me? Hmm?" Kyra scolds as tries to get herself to calm down. "Jerk."

"You're getting rusty if I was able to sneak up on you like that" Kassandra laughs as Kyra swats her.

"Where were you even hiding? I looked for you everywhere" Kyra inquires.

"I was on the roof" Kassandra shrugs, finding nothing out of the ordinary about her hanging out up there.

"Why in the world would you be up on a roof?" Kyra asks, but holds her hand up to stop Kassandra from answering. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

"Well it's not my fault someone decided to sleep in" Kassandra responds as she leads them back towards their room. "I get restless easily."

Kyra follows along and takes a seat on the bed as she watches Kassandra pack their things. Kyra can feel the domesticity in what Kassandra's doing and it fills her with a happiness she's not had before.

She didn't want to say anything that could ruin the moment, but she could absolutely get used to this.

Thankfully, Kassandra didn't notice her staring as she packed their final items.

"Is there anything I forgot?" Kassandra asks as she looks around the room once more in an attempt to spot any lingering items.

"I think only one thing" Kyra says as she stands up and walks over towards Kassandra, their bodies incredibly close.

Kyra reaches behind Kassandra's head and pulls her in for a gentle kiss. There was no urgency like earlier, but this kiss was still just as special and it got Kyra's heart racing.

Kyra could feel Kassandra resisting at first, but she was soon welcomed as Kassandra grabs her waist and pulls her flush against her.

Kyra tries to keep it going, but Kassandra pulls her head back.

"We should get a move on before it gets too dark" Kassandra rationalizes, clearing her throat almost like she's uncomfortable, but Kyra doesn't notice.

"You're right, we should get going" Kyra reluctantly agrees, placing one more sweet kiss upon Kassandra's lips. There would be more opportunities for them later.

"Have you seen Alkibiades? I was going to say goodbye" Kassandra inquires as she slings their bag over her shoulder.

"He is a bit occupied at the present with some...guests, so I think you should just leave a note" Kyra answers as Kassandra scrunches her nose at her disapproval of his activities.

"That's probably best. Why don't you take this," Kassandra hands over their bag which Kyra accepts, "and put it on Phobos."

"Your horse is here?" Kyra questions as she doesn't remember seeing him at all on the boat.

"He goes wherever I go so yeah, he's here" Kassandra answers.

"But Kassandra, I didn't even see him once on the ship? How could he be here?" Kyra persists with her questions as none of it makes any sense to her.

Kyra can tell Kassandra is getting agitated by the nature of the conversation, like she should just drop it, but her curiosity was too strong so she waits for an answer. 

She doesn't get one.

"Just go put it on him" Kassandra more forcefully requests as she heads for Alkibiades' office to write him a note.

"Geesh," Kyra mutters under her breath with an eye roll, "looks like it's gonna be one of those days."

Not wanting to argue any further, Kyra does as she's asked and, sure enough, Phobos was waiting patiently outside as if nothing was amiss.

"Hey there handsome" Kyra coos as she ruffles his mane. "It's nice to see you again, I've missed you."

Kyra wasn't too big on animals, but she always had a soft spot for horses and Kassandra's was an exceptional being. It still mystified her as to how he always knew where to be and would summon almost immediately if Kassandra called for him. She knew that animals were more attuned than people were, but this was unlike anything she'd ever seen before.

Kyra rests her forehead against Phobos and continues to pet him and he happily accepts it with a satisfied snort. "At least you're happy to see me, aren't you boy?"

Phobos nudges her in return and she reaches into their bag and pulls a treat out for him.

"Keep this between us" Kyra whispers to him as she holds out an apple from their pack which Phobos eagerly accepts.

Kyra hears the telltale sound of a throat clearing behind her and spins to see Kassandra looking at her with an amused gaze, her eyebrow raised.

Kyra blushes at being caught smuggling him treats and goes to place the pack on the saddle which was the whole purpose of her coming out here to begin with.

Kyra wondered how much of that one sided conversation she overheard, but if Kassandra had any grievances with her, she's not saying.

"Let's go, if we hurry we should be able to arrive by nightfall" Kassandra says as she gracefully hops onto Phobos, holding out her hand for Kyra.

Kyra grabs her hand and places her foot in the stirrup to boost herself up and over, settling in behind Kassandra. She is a bit perturbed by Kassandra's snappiness so she keep her hands to her sides.

"Let's go Phobos" Kassandra commands as she snaps the reigns gently. Phobos trots off into the winding paths and the two of them begin their true journey start.

Kyra remains silent, taking in the sights as Kassandra skillfully leads them through different alleys and streets. She's grateful she's not having to lead this time as this city is ten times the size of anything she's ever seen before and she surely would've gotten them lost.

Kyra is able to make out a temple of some sort, but they move so quick that she doesn't get a chance to see who it is for. As much as she'd love to do more exploring, this trip was not for her and she would just have to make a mental note to come back in the future.

They exit the large walls protecting the city with relative ease and Kassandra takes them on one of the numerous paths scattered around. This one appears to have a military camp near by, a convenience only a landlocked area could understand. Having forces so close to the city walls must put the Athenians at ease. While Kyra does not support them in this war, she would still wish no ill will towards any innocent civilians.

She wonders if they really even know what is going on, what lies are being fed to garner support and soldiers. War is a nasty business, but it is almost inevitable as it is one of profit for those who are dirty enough to make it so.

Kyra's face hardens at the thought of such moral corruption plaguing her mind. It was always best not to dwell on these things, but Kassandra was showing no signs of conversation so she was left with her thoughts and they took her down a darker path.

They traversed the countryside and once they had enough space between them and Athens, Kassandra spurred Phobos to ride faster.

It was unexpected, this change of pace, so Kyra quickly brings her arms around Kassandra's waist to keep her balance as the sudden burst of speed almost sent her toppling backwards.

"Some notice would be nice next time" Kyra scolds as she loosens her grip, not feeling in the mood to touch Kassandra any more than she had to.

Kyra didn't understand what she was doing wrong to make Kassandra so irritable, but this wasn't the first time she's just completely shut her out after they had a moment.

Kassandra was the one that made the advance on her, not Kyra, so why was Kassandra treating her like she's to blame? Hell, Kyra didn't even know what was wrong to begin with as she thought the two of them were fine. Well, fine up until she began asking Kassandra about Phobos.

Was there some big secret to it all that Kassandra didn't trust her with? It sounds ridiculous once she poses the question to herself, but Kassandra was anything but ordinary so something so farfetched wouldn't be off the table.

It was a moot point as whatever was bothering Kassandra, she'd never open up enough to allow Kyra to help her. It didn't matter how much Kyra shared, Kassandra was a steel trap. If she wanted to be so childish, Kyra would let her and serve it back to her tenfold. She had been generous and understanding enough, but Kassandra still slammed the door in her face when it was anything deeper than general conversation.

Kyra would gladly play the silent treatment game if that's what Kassandra wanted. Was she taking this a bit too seriously? Perhaps, but perhaps not.

"We're not far now, we're making good time" Kassandra remarks, but Kyra doesn't say anything. She's not about to just dive into small talk as if nothing happened before.

The silence lulls around them as Kassandra doesn't push anything further and Kyra wasn't about to say anything unless necessary.

"Look," Kassandra starts to speak, "it's hard to explain it with Phobos as I'm not even fully sure I know why we're like this." 

This grabs Kyra's attention, but she's going to remain silent as too many times has she jumped in and pushed down her own needs to protect Kassandra from discomfort. No more.

Kassandra pulls on the reigns a bit and Phobos slowed down to a more adequate travel speed for conversation.

"He does have a secure area on the Adrestia you know..." Kassandra begins in what Kyra assumes is an explanation she asked for earlier. "He was on the ship the entire time, you just didn't see him. You also didn't see him when we disembarked as I wanted to walk and he's not your average horse and doesn't need to be guided. He does what he wants, but is always within a certain radius of me and comes when he's called, like Ikaros."

"I know it sounds made up and I know if I wasn't the one it worked for, I wouldn't believe it either so I just don't ever talk about and nobody had ever bothered to ask me about it so does that clarify it for you?" Kassandra inquires after her explanation.

Kyra honestly ended up with more questions after the explanation, but she wasn't going to press this as she still didn't want to talk to her.

"Yeah, ok" Kyra responds, short and sweet to allow for the most basic of acknowledgments.

Kyra can feel Kassandra shift with a discomfort, most notably due to Kyra's tone, but she wasn't satisfied yet. She deserved an apology and an explanation at minimum before she was going to back down from this.

"Are you holding up ok back there? Do you need a break?" Kassandra asks.

Kyra knows it's to fill the now awkward silence and tension between them and she wouldn't be rude and not answer at all, but she would continue with the bare minimum.

"I'm fine and no" Kyra answers sharply and she hears Kassandra heavily exhale as Kyra rebuffs another round of small talk.

Kassandra didn't say anything further in an attempt to speak, but she did at least give Kyra a "heads up" before she pushed for Phobos to pick up speed again.

Kyra was still taken a little off guard by it and her hands went to wrap around Kassandra, but she had misjudged her position so instead of her hands hitting her waist, Kyra's hands were now splayed across Kassandra's exposed abs.

Kassandra's new choice of apparel was incredibly distracting and revealed a whole lot of skin. Doesn't do for much in the way of protection, but gods, Kyra couldn't argue with the view.

Her fingers flexed and she could feel Kassandra's abs tighten and Kyra was never more grateful Kassandra couldn't see her face as she was surely as red as a tomato with a blush.

Kassandra used to be covered by everything but a helmet, but clearly something caused her to rethink her strategy as when she came back to Kyra the second time, she was wearing hardly anything.

Kyra knows she should have let go already, but she's drawn to the feel of Kassandra as she's never had much opportunity to just have free reign of Kassandra like this. She slowly unwraps her hands and she brushes over Kassandra's latest addition, the scar Praxos gave her in their fight.

Kyra feels Kassandra tense at the connection so Kyra removes her hands immediately and settles them back at her side.

They rode the rest of the way without speaking and Kyra couldn't wait to get there so she could be free of Kassandra's overpowering presence.

Her body was fighting against what her mind was so desperately trying to push. Kyra knew that she needed to keep physical space from Kassandra and riding pressed up against her was not helping her case. Kyra had willpower for everything but Kassandra it seemed as no matter how angry she was at her, she always managed to get under her skin and disarm her.

By allowing this cycle, Kyra didn't help herself any and, if anything, encouraged Kassandra that her bad behaviors could be rewarded. This was the opposite message that Kyra wanted to send, but dammit if Kassandra wasn't a convincing argument.

Kyra knew there was more to life than sex and the physicality of it, but in addition to all the other life adventures she wanted with Kassandra, she also wanted sex. Plain and simple.

The two could have been mutually detached if Kyra had played her cards better, but there was no way Kyra could separate them now. It didn't seem to matter what was happening, Kassandra was always on her mind.

Kyra dreamed of their future, of their potential, and she did so on a regular basis. She'd never admit this to Kassandra, but she did try to envision what their life could possibly be like. 

Sure, some scenarios are completely unrealistic, but that's the joy of a daydream. In her mind, she and Kassandra can be anything they want to be. Kyra's even gone as far as imagining children for the both of them. 

Kassandra, a mother, a wild thought indeed, but Kyra can see deeper into Kassandra than she let's on. Kyra can tell Kassandra yearns for a family to some caliber from how hard she is working to save her brother and find her mater and pater. Kassandra longs to rebuild what was lost to her and Kyra can sympathize with this all too well. Maybe it wasn't too wild after all for Kassandra to want to continue what she's worked so hard to obtain.

Kyra could almost scream with frustration at how lovesick she was for the woman in front of her. Her love for Kassandra would drive her mad before she knew it and it would be her fault and her fault alone for allowing it. 

Why couldn't she have just fallen in love with a fisherman or something? Life would have been easy, simple, and uncomplicated. She would've had minimal worries and a normal life.

But alas, the gods wanted to toy with her and instead gave her heart to a misthios with commitment issues and emotional problems.

Kyra rolls her eyes at herself for being so complicated, but she knows that she truly wouldn't want it any other way. Maybe something a little more stable, but her life was surely not boring.

Instead of being domesticated like most women, Kyra had made her mark as a woman not to be taken likely. She is formidable on the battlefield, but she's also smart which plays well into the game of politics. Her adventure with Kassandra now was something she never would've done if she settled for the minimal in life. An entirely new world is opening before her and she has Kassandra to thank for all of that.

As boneheaded as she may be sometimes, Kyra would give credit where credit was due. Her new life was all Kassandra's doing, she couldn't deny it. As much as Thaletas tried to help, Kassandra was the one who made the difference. She is the one who took out Podarkes and his forces almost single handedly and she was ultimately the one who turned the tides. 

Kyra wouldn't downplay her own role in everything, but it was clear she was only treading water. They just didn't have the resources or manpower to do what needed to be done. Thaletas would eventually tire of the efforts and Sparta would've withdrew, leaving her and her people at the mercy of a madman.

Kassandra didn't need any of that. 

She was an army within herself and she did it all with such conviction that you couldn't help but to be in awe of her. Kyra was interested as soon as she first saw her when she thought she was a spy. Kassandra exuded confidence and that was sexy all by itself, but it was Kassandra's tranquility when in the face of danger that really drew her.

Kyra was told that Kassandra didn't even so much as flinch when Kyra tossed the dagger in front of her face all those months ago. She sported a look of detachment and unamusement that only triggered Kyra's intrigue as their relationship grew.

Kassandra was a danger from the start and if Kyra were thinking strategically, she would have left it be and walked away. However, she didn't for the first time in a long time. She allowed herself to act on impulse and indulged and got swept up in the currents and finds herself in the mess she's in now.

As mad as she was at Kassandra for blocking her out, she couldn't be that angry as she knew Kassandra did care about her even if she didn't want to admit, at least that's what she convinced herself to believe. As wonderful as it would be to be allowed into Kassandra's heart fully, Kyra still saw the small ways in which Kassandra showed her feelings.

It was simple gestures of an unspoken kind that Kyra felt from Kassandra and she would need to learn how to just accept that as being enough. 

Kyra shakes her head as she was getting ahead of herself. There was still no assurance that Kassandra actually felt anything deeper for Kyra. She's never given Kyra any indication that she felt anything remotely close to love for her as Kassandra always shuts down before Kyra can get her to say anything.

Did Kyra really want to spend her energy on this when she was the only one putting in work? This pining for Kassandra couldn't be healthy and she remembers how Alkibiades warned her of something very similar just the other day.

She now regrets her refusal to talk to Kassandra as it would give her a reprieve from her incessant thoughts. She was a proud woman though so she'd see it through for the sense of self satisfaction if nothing else.

Kyra's daydream gets interrupted as Kassandra halts their fast pace into a gentle trot.

Kyra looks up and can see the silhouette of a large house and a portion of a large wall in the distance.

"Welcome to Megaris" Kassandra says as she sits up a bit straighter and points towards the building they see. "That's Megara, we'll be staying near there for tonight. This is Spartan territory so we will be safe here."

"Do they not have a place to rent a room?" Kyra asks as she really didn't want to sleep outside as it looked like it was going to rain.

"Most places don't from what I've seen. Unless you run into a hospitable local or fall into bed with a stranger, you're usually out of luck" Kassandra explains as she leads Phobos towards a clearing she remembers.

"I take it you say that from experience?" Kyra meant this to come out as a question, but her jealousy took over and it changed into an accusation. She would never warm to the feeling of Kassandra talking about other lovers she's had.

"I, uh.." Kassandra stammers at the loaded question, taking her off guard.

Not wanting to make this into something bigger, Kyra withdraws the question. "Never mind, please don't answer that."

Kyra quickly changes the subject as this was getting borderline uncomfortable with how they both were acting. "Do you know where this Sotera can be found?"

"Megaris isn't that big so even if I have to flip over every rock, I will find her" Kassandra says with authority and conviction. "My best guess is down at the port as it would be ideal for a swift getaway."

"Do you have any contacts here?" Kyra inquires.

"No, not anymore" Kassandra responds, her shoulders slumping down. "We need to try to remain unnoticed as best as possible. This is a small area so word travels fast and we don't want her to flee."

"Makes sense" Kyra shrugs as Kassandra leads Phobos off the path into a patch of flatland on the hillside.

"We will make camp here as it will be dark soon so get comfortable as I won't be lighting a fire" Kassandra warns as she dismounts.

Kyra decides to hop down fast as she knew Kassandra would be as chivalrous as ever and extend a hand and she needed to remember that she was still mad at her. She'd already slipped, but it wasn't so bad as she asked about their mission so it was rather important.

"This is going to suck" Kyra mumbles as she plops down onto the ground.

"This life isn't glamorous, I hate to break it to you" Kassandra teases at Kyra's displeasure.

Kyra doesn't take the bait, but she does send a nasty scowl Kassandra's direction.

Kassandra laughs at the sight so Kyra does the most adult and mature thing she can think of and spins around so her back is facing Kassandra.

"Is this you ignoring me again?" Kassandra prods as she continues to laugh.

"Yes" Kyra responds curtly.

"You're not doing a very good job of it. Haven't been the whole ride" Kassandra calls her out, taking a small pleasure in getting under Kyra's skin.

"Shut up" Kyra snaps back, scooting a little further away.

"I'm just saying, you're doing a lot of talking for someone who doesn't want to talk to me" Kassandra points out her failure to keep her mouth shut and her irritation builds.

"You know what Kassandra?" Kyra challenges as she stands up from the ground to face her. "Fuck. You."

"With pleasure" Kassandra smoothly responds, pissing Kyra off even more.

"I'm glad you find this all so fucking funny" Kyra shouts at her, hands flying exasperated over her head. "I'm leaving."

"Kyra, wait..." Kassandra jogs to catch up with her, but Kyra recoils as soon as Kassandra touches her shoulder.

"Don't" Kyra glares as she points a finger at Kassandra as a warning. "Just don't." She continues her walk down the path, leaving Kassandra standing alone.

"Kyra, come back!" Kassandra shouts, but Kyra was not turning around now.

Kyra does decide to leave her with a parting gesture as she flips her off, continuing down the path heading into the city center.

Once she was far enough away, Kyra let's her anger out. 

"Gah!" Kyra yells, ignoring the curious eyes that befall her from the outburst. "I just want to wipe that smug look off her fucking face."

"Now I'm yelling near random strangers and I'm even talking to myself, out loud, just perfect" Kyra shuts up after that as she didn't want to draw any more attention to herself than she already did with her outburst.

How dare Kassandra tease her when she was genuinely upset! The nerve on that woman was astounding. "With pleasure" Kyra scoffs as she replays Kassandra's words to her in a mimicking tone.

Kyra was glad she at least had her own drachmae and wasn't reliant on Kassandra. She would find something to do for the night, only returning back when there was no other option.

As soon as Kyra reaches the main entrance, the smell of supper time hits her hard enough that her stomach growls. 

"Looks like food it is" she says to herself as she continues into Megara. 

She's grateful she doesn't have to look far as the first still to her right has tons of fruits and vegetables on display and, as she approaches, an entire pig roast.

"Good evening weary traveler, may I interest you in some fresh produce or a nice home cooked meal? I have soups as well in the oven" The seller pitches as he moves behind his stand. 

"How late will you be open?" Kyra asks because if the man would be open for a while more, she'd get it on the way back and eat it in front of Kassandra.

"Oh I'd say about another couple hours as I don't pack up until it's dark" the shopkeeper responds.

"Wonderful, I will be back before you close as I'd rather get in some sights before dark" Kyra gleefully claps her hands together. "Could you, perhaps, point me in the direction or anything worth taking a look at?"

The man laughs as he moves to continue butchering the pig he was working on before Kyra stopped. "Oh I'm afraid we've got nothing that special, but we do have a temple for Apollo. There's another temple further in, but I wouldn't recommend it as it has been militarized so you wouldn't be allowed in."

"I don't care about that, I just need to get away from my companion for a while so I will take anything at this point" Kyra sighs, trying to keep her focus away from Kassandra.

"Ah, classic lovers quarrel" the man exclaims as he cleaves the meat into smaller pieces. "I could tell by how tense you were walking in."

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that" Kyra admits, not wanting to get too personal with the stranger. "It's complicated and I kind of just walked away from her."

"Rest assured, your girl will realize the err of her ways soon enough" he shares as he wipes his brow. "Life is too short to live it in such loneliness."

Wow, this guy is getting pretty deep. He's awfully chatty too, they must not get a lot of new faces. Kyra wants to confide in him for some reason, but the logical side of her cautions oversharing.

"Those are sound words, very wise" Kyra admits as they're much better than anything she's come up with. "Is this from experience?"

"Indeed it is," he answers, "time can be the most harsh teacher of lessons."

"I thank you for the sound advice, truly" Kyra smiles at him. "I have never traveled before so you've done Megaris a great service."

"Kindness is the only currency that transcends time, just be sure to pass it on and my job will be done" he says as he brings the meat over to his grill.

"I will, promise" Kyra smiles and holds up her hand to swear it. "I will be back in a bit, see you soon."

Kyra walks away with a wave and heads in the general direction the man had pointed towards. She feels a bit lighter than before, having shared some of her frustrations. If only it was with Kassandra instead of this random man, but she still wasn't in the mood to deal with Kassandra's deflection.

Kyra spots the temple easily and decides now is as good a time as any to pray. Apollo was not the god she normally prayed to, but he was still a god and that was good enough for her.

Kyra finds the place empty so she kneels down in front of the statue and she silently prays.

Kyra didn't ever ask for much as she believed in being self reliant, but there were moments like now when she asked for a sign. What direction she should take, but as usual, the gods are silent. Kyra never held it against them since there were only a handful of them in comparison to how many people prayed. She understood, even if she didn't like the answer.

Kyra heads out of the temple, the sky now darkened, and heads towards the shop.

The man is still there and Kyra is grateful she didn't miss him. She's not sure how long she prayed, but it must've been close to an hour as there was still daylight when she went in. It was no matter though as she knew her way back and the walk wouldn't be long. She was, however, starving by this point.

"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me" the man says as she approaches him.

"With food smelling like that? Not likely" Kyra laughs as she looks over the dishes he has prepared.

"Anything catch your eye?" The man asks, waiting patiently as she looks over everything.

"I will have a bowl of kakavia please" Kyra asks as she hands him a handful of drachmae.

He hands her the food and they carry on for a bit more small talk before Kyra excuses herself to go and eat. She makes it as far as the door before she pauses. 

It would be in poor taste for her to bring back this food and not have anything for Kassandra. Kyra knew she'd be fine either way, but Kyra would know deep down that she had neglected her and that just didn't sit right.

Kyra turns and goes back to the man and he has a small smile on his face.

"I wondered how long it would take you to come back for the second bowl" he chuckles as he hands her an already prepared bowl.

"I wasn't sure I was going to, but I am not that kind of person to be so cruel" Kyra admits sheepishly.

"This one is on the house, do please enjoy and I hope to see you again before you depart" He offers her a warm smile and Kyra was stunned by the generosity.

She was not used to this kind of behavior and she wonders if it was the gods aiding her in her quest or just dumb luck. Either way, she'd accept the gesture.

Kyra bids the man goodbye and heads back towards Kassandra. Kyra felt much better than she did when she first left, but she was not ready to forgive Kassandra just yet. She had cooled off enough to have a more level head, but there still needed to be consequences for actions.

Kyra rounds the statue and heads on the path up towards the hill. It was very dark out and there was only the torch at the bottom of the path to illuminate her way, but she was sure she knew the general area. She just hoped she didn't trip on a rock.

Kyra's eyes had adjusted enough that she could make out a figure, presumably Kassandra, leaning up against a rock. Kyra could hear what sounded like tiny pebbles being tossed the closer she got.

"It's me Kassandra" Kyra whispers as she walks closer. She knew Kassandra must've noticed her presence before she'd even said anything, but she wanted to ensure Kassandra didn't hold her at knifepoint just in case.

 

"Miss me already?" Kassandra pauses her pebble tossing to prod her again.

Kyra is grateful for the darkness as she rolls her eyes at Kassandra's behavior. She seems to be doing that a lot more lately and Kassandra has been the sole cause for almost all of them.

"Here" Kyra whispers as she pushes the bowl into Kassandra's hands.

Kassandra looks up at her and takes the bowl of food shoved down "gracefully" in her palms. "Thank you." 

She doesn't bother to respond as Kassandra's unnecessary banter clearly hadn't died down at all by her absence.

Kyra instead takes a seat as far from her as possible as she eats in silence, well she at least tries to.

Kassandra carries on a conversation with her all by herself. She'd talk about something completely random, wait for Kyra to respond (which she didn't), and Kassandra would magically hear an answer and keep going. Kassandra was clearly on a mission to irritate her from what Kyra could tell and it was working.

"Why are you doing this?" Kyra snaps, over the nonchalant attitude Kassandra's been sporting.

"I'm just keeping myself entertained is all" Kassandra responds.

"No. That's bullshit and you know it. You've done nothing but press me since this morning and I'm tired of it!" Kyra argues while her voice rises higher and higher as her emotions get more charged. "What did I do to you Kassandra?"

Kyra wishes she could see Kassandra's face, but maybe she'd get more answers from her in the dark.

"You didn't do anything Kyra" Kassandra answers softer, no longer in the teasing tone she had just a moment ago.

"Unbelievable" Kyra huffs at Kassandra. "Clearly there's a problem or you wouldn't have been such an asshole to me. So tell me, what possible thing could I have done to set you off?"

"Kyra, look," Kassandra tries to start, but it sounds like she's struggling to find the right words, "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Of course you don't" Kyra huffs. She's not appreciating Kassandra playing dumb. "You snapped at me when I asked about Phobos which, by the way, is a completely valid question, and you just shut me out."

Kyra takes a deep breath to calm down as she can feel herself getting worked up again. She needs to keep her emotions in check or Kassandra will shut down like she always does.

"Kassandra, this is not the first instance of you doing this to me and I just want to understand why" Kyra confesses, now trying to hold the tears back as she speaks. "It seems like we make such strides and have such a good time only for you to push me away the next day."

Kyra wipes away the tears that escape as she steadies her breath from the slight tremor she was developing. She doesn't want to cry, at all, so maybe Kassandra just wouldn't notice.

"My mind jumps to all these places and they're not very kind" Kyra continues, her voice laced with sadness as she opens up in a way she's never done before. "I'm not even sure if you even really like me sometimes."

"Kyra..." She hears Kassandra speak her name, but she needs to finish this or she'll lose her nerve.

"Don't say anything, please," Kyra pleads, "I need to say this."

Taking another deep breath, Kyra decides to hold nothing back. "I never know where I stand with you and I try hard, so very hard, to respect your space and give you time, but I can't keep doing this to myself. You rarely talk to me about anything that matters and most of what I do know about you hasn't even come from you! How am I supposed to feel? I thought we were at least friends, but I think I was wrong about that too."

Kyra sighs in relief, a weight she's been carrying around for a while feels like it's been lifted. She has said her piece and will give Kassandra the time to process all this. "I don't want you to say anything to this now as I want you to take what I'm saying seriously so just think about this if you even care for me at all."

Kyra settles down onto one of the smooth rocks in a more comfortable position, well, as comfortable a position as one could be on a rock, and decides it's best to try to sleep the rest of the night away.

"Good night" Kyra softly says as she curls up in a ball to keep herself as warm as possible.

With a heavy heart and a heavy mind, Kyra drifts off to sleep with the hope that tomorrow would be a better day.

It was a restless sleep and Kyra wakes up more tired than she was before she went to bed, but at least the sun was up and it didn't rain overnight.

Kyra sits herself up, trying to work out all the kinks in her neck and back, but there would be no relief.

Kassandra was no longer at their makeshift camp, but their things were still here so it was unlikely that she took off. She'd never thought Kassandra would just abandon her like that, but she thought Kassandra would never do a lot of things.

Kyra takes this opportunity to eat something light as they would probably be mobile most of the day. Megaris wasn't too large an area so they'd hopefully find out something today about Sotera's whereabouts.

Kyra had studied maps before all of this happened so she had an idea of their size, but nothing written could ever prepare her for seeing it in person.

Kassandra was most likely canvassing the area so she should probably pack their things up and help. There was no use in her just sitting around waiting and Kassandra could find her if she wanted to. She was an expert tracker and it wasn't as if Kyra was trying to hide.

Kyra packs the bag and slings it over her shoulder and heads towards the one person who could give her some direction.

Returning to the man from last night, Kyra greets him warmly.

"Good morning sir" she greets formally.

"Sir? My gods I've gotten old" the man jokes. "Please, call me Pelios."

"Of course Pelios" Kyra corrects herself, "I am Kyra. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the nearest settlement. I'm looking for someone, but I've not got any idea where."

"Due north west of here there's Pagai and Panormos and there's Nisaia that's south west of here. It is a lot of ground to cover on foot" Pelios warns.

"Well my companion took her horse and took off somewhere so I really don't have much of a choice" Kyra sighs out as she really didn't want to do all of this on foot.

"What did your companion look like? Perhaps I can point you in the right direction" Pelios speaks, offering his services.

"She's stunning, tall and muscular build. She's got brown hair in a braid off to one side and was wearing white armor" Kyra describes.

"Rather grumpy? Wears a scowl?" Pelios questions.

"Very much so" Kyra laughs. "I take it that means you've seen her?"

"You are in luck as I did just happen to see her" he says as he turns to point her in the right direction. "She went off towards Pagai or Panormos, the path goes for a while before it branches so I couldn't tell you what one. My guess would be Pagai as Panormos was recently burned down by the war."

"Oh my, that's terrible. Thank you so much for heads up" Kyra gives his arm a squeeze in appreciation. "You've been invaluable to me, thank you."

Kyra offers him a smile as she turns and walks in the direction Kassandra was last seen. It would still be a stretch to just happen upon her, but it was worth a try.

As she walked, she realized how much it bothered her that Kassandra would just leave her like that. She could've woken her up and told her where she was going, but no, clearly common decency was not a skill she had.

The closer Kyra got to where the path divides, the more she could see the effects of the war. There were military posts scattered everywhere and houses were destroyed from collateral damage. It made her grateful that their battles took place on the open sea. The losses were still present, but the casualties for the innocent civilians were dropped to almost nothing.

Kyra walks through Pagai, but doesn't spot Kassandra at all. This area was sparsely populated so someone like Kassandra would've been easy to spot.

Kyra decides to head to the shore and sit a while. She sits among the warm sand, picking it up only to let it fall through her hand.

If she closes her eyes, she can pretend she's on Mykonos. Megaris was certainly more plain in comparison, but she could have a blissful moment that she was back home and that everything was back to normal.

Alas, it would be short lived as when Kyra opened her eyes she was met with destroyed ships and charred buildings. A sore sight to see.

Kyra stands up and brushes the excess sand from her clothes when she hears her name shouted from behind her. She didn't think it was a common name so it was probably for her. After she heard it a second time, she recognized the voice.

"What are you doing over here? It's still so early" Kassandra says as she approaches her, hopping off Phobos right in front of her.

"Well somebody didn't have the decency to tell me they were taking off" Kyra counters and Kassandra ducks her head as she knew Kyra was right.

"I am sorry, I didn't think" Kassandra offers the apology and Kyra debates whether she wants to stoke the flames of their prior conversation.

At least Kassandra seems remorseful this time so she'll keep the peace for now. "Any luck so far?"

"Yes actually, that's why I came looking for you" Kassandra says. "I returned back and you were nowhere to be found. Some random man caught my attention in Megara and pointed me in this direction."

"Pelios" Kyra says aloud to Kassandra, she'd really need to thank him properly before they left.

"I know where she is hiding. She's down at the port" Kassandra shares, excited by the new development. "From what I heard, she will be arriving within the next few hours."

"Perfect, let's get going so we're ready for her" Kyra says as she goes to get on Phobos, but Kassandra places her hand on her shoulder.

"There is something I need to show you first if you'll allow me to. It's a bit off the beaten path" Kassandra says, her mood somber.

"Sure, of course" Kyra agrees as she allows Kassandra to help her up.

Kassandra clips her hood to her armor and covers herself and takes them through the largest of the Spartan settlements and she can feel Kassandra tense up as they're passing through it. Kyra had never seen Kassandra cover her head before so she must not want to be recognized.

If Kyra didn't know any better, she'd say something about this place bothered Kassandra deeply. She seemed unsettled and she kept looking around, like she was expecting something to happen as they passed through with the ease Kyra had expected.

Kassandra leads them to what looks like a now deserted battlefield. Kyra didn't understand the significance of this spot, but Kassandra pulled her hood down and stared up at the ledge.

Kassandra slowly brings them to a stop where the land leveled out and the two of them walk towards the ledge, Kyra allowing Kassandra to lead.

Kassandra just stares at the ground below them, but Kyra doesn't understand what she's supposed to be seeing.

Kassandra turns her head and motions for Kyra to stand next to her, Kyra obliges and the two stand together overlooking the cities below them.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you here" Kassandra speaks softly.

"Yes I am" Kyra confirms as there was no use in pretending that she knew.

"This spot we're standing on right now is where I spoke to my pater for the first time since I was a child" Kassandra shares as she plays with the dirt beneath her feet. "I had been paid to kill the Wolf of Sparta, a feared general of the highest rank. What I didn't know at the time was who he was. Only once I landed and saw him in the flesh did I recognize his face."

Kyra is taken back as out of everything Kassandra wanted to show her, she never expected it to be so personal. For the first time, Kassandra was allowing Kyra in.

She could tell Kassandra was struggling to stay composed, but Kyra remained quiet, allowing her to work this out at her own pace.

"I had been tasked to aid Sparta before I was allowed to meet him so I worked with his adopted son, Stentor. He was an asshole, but he was loyal to my pater to a fault. I never liked him though" Kassandra says with a bit of a bite. "Anyway, I finally prove myself and am requested to meet the Wolf up here on this ledge. It took him a while, but he eventually realized who exactly I was."

Kassandra's hand balls itself into a fist as the anger courses through her. Kyra watches as her face contorted into a scowl and her nostrils flared with her intensity.

Kassandra then takes Kyra step by step to what happened to both her and Alexios on Mount Taygetos all those years ago. Kyra at some point had moved her hand to cover Kassandra's own and Kassandra had intertwined their fingers and absentmindedly was brushing her thumb across the back of Kyra's hand.

"My god Kassandra..." Kyra shares her shock at everything Kassandra had unpacked on her. What could she even say at this point?

"When I met my pater face to face, I knew I had a choice to make" Kassandra's face hardens as her grip tightens. "I knew I would either kill him where he stood or I'd let him live the rest of his life as miserably as he had been."

Kyra squeezes her hand in support, hoping that her presence helps anchor her as she relives this awful memory.

"He said he didn't regret what he did and that he would have done it again for Sparta" Kassandra's face falls in anguish. "His duty was always to Sparta first and foremost. He had made peace with his decision and I needed to accept that too. Well, I didn't."

Kassandra angrily kicks the rocks below her, sending them careening off the cliff. 

"I killed him, Kyra" Kassandra confesses, her voice a hoarse whisper. "I killed my pater right here where we're standing and I don't regret it. All the pain and hurt he caused us, caused our family, I could never forgive that. As he lay dying, he told me that he wasn't even my real pater and that he just stepped in to fill the role. All this time I searched for the both of them only to find out my life was a lie."

Kyra watches as Kassandra uses her free hand to wipe at her face as it was apparent that she had cried at some point, but Kyra would pretend to not notice as she knows it would make Kassandra uncomfortable.

"He raised me and I will never forget that, but he also wedged a stake into our family so much that we all broke. Alexios and I should be dead, but by some miracle we weren't so I just couldn't forgive the man who caused us all such pain. And for what? The Oracle?" Kassandra spits out her name with such venom that Kyra guesses that she plays a much larger role in this.

"I killed Nikolaus and fled, but Stentor wouldn't leave me be so I had to kill him too" Kassandra confesses. "He had tracked me for a while before he confronted me, but I was the one who came out on top. His death I did not question, he never had the right to call him pater."

Kassandra loosens her grip on Kyra's hand as she turns to face her. "I am a monster Kyra, I kill because I can sometimes and that should scare you."

"I know what you're trying to do and it won't work" Kyra dismisses Kassandra's vague warning of herself. "I do not fear you Kassandra and I never will. I know you've done some less than reputable things in the past, but I believe in you and the good that you bring. I do not think you're a monster at all."

"You will, eventually, it is why I do not speak about myself to anyone as they will all leave. I only can trust myself and I'd recommend you do the same" Kassandra advises as if this was something Kyra would even consider.

"I trust you unequivocally" Kyra speaks as she tilts up Kassandra's chin so that they're looking directly at one another. "Do not shut me out, let me help you."

Kassandra looks at her soft features in the morning sunshine and smiles warmly at her. Kassandra pulls Kyra into and hug and holds her like she was the only thing keeping Kassandra's feet on the ground.

This may not be the grand declaration of love Kyra had expected, but this was love in Kassandra's language and Kyra was more than fine with that for now.

The two stand there for a while longer, not breaking their embrace as the sun danced around them. The world may be turning, but right here and now, time stood still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we've cracked 100k!!!!
> 
> I'm not even at the halfway point so buckle up as there is plenty more to come!
> 
> Stay tuned :)


	15. Walking On The Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's that time again, welcome back everyone!
> 
> As always, I appreciate everyone of you taking the time to read my story. It means the world to me and I want to thank you all for the support. In this chapter we'll be dealing with the emotional fallout from Kassandra's confession and how Kassandra navigates the new water she finds herself in. Some real character development for Kassandra is ahead so I hope you all appreciate the journey.
> 
> Karmin - Walking On The Moon  
> https://youtu.be/Ke6Fs2WXXvM

"Do not shut me out, let me help you."

The words spoken to Kassandra sound so foreign to hear, as if in another language altogether. Nobody has ever been willing to stand beside her, yet alone after all she's done and confessed to. All she can do in return is smile as all words have been lost on her tongue.

As Kyra smiles back at her, Kassandra can't help but pull her near. She needed to feel her embrace. So many emotions were hitting her all at once and Kyra was the only way she could still feel grounded. Kyra allowed Kassandra to have the peace she's needed for a long time. Every hug, every touch, slowly pulled her out of her own head and kept her focused in the present. The past would always haunt her for as long as she lived, but she could stand to face it if Kyra was here to help.

Reliving the memories of her pater had sent her mind to a dark place. She knew she was capable of unspeakable horrors and that would be enough for most people to discard her from their life forever, but not Kyra. Here she stood with no judgment, just an unspoken understanding.

Kassandra had weighed sharing this with her all night after Kyra's outburst at their camp the night before. Nothing of what Kyra had said was wrong and it was time for her to let someone in, even if it was a little bit at a time. Still swept up in the embrace, Kassandra recounts how she allowed her walls to come down for this incredible woman in her arms. 

The night they shared in Athens had stoked something deep within her. What was a small fire burning within her became a blaze so ferocious that she could set an entire ship ablaze with the snap of her fingers. A passion and kinship she's never felt before ignited within her that night, but she's been trying to deny it.

A connection between them had always been apparent to the both of them, but with how standoffish Kassandra's been lately, it'd be easy to mistake them as nothing more than casual acquaintances and that's exactly what Kyra was doing. Kassandra heard her say as much when she lit into her last night.

Kassandra had never meant for her to feel so excluded, but she also knew that she was pushing Kyra away on purpose. After that night, any physical touch was uncomfortable and anytime Kyra would reach out for her, she felt herself withdrawing. 

Kassandra was never an affectionate person to begin with, but there was a new sensation between them that just made every touch feel different. It was like it carried more weight, but it was never acknowledged and was something unspoken and it startled her. Kassandra didn't do this, she's said it before and she'd say it again. No matter what she might feel, she knows in her mind that it is a bad idea to allow anyone close enough to exploit you.

This is a lesson she had learned the hard way growing up after she left Sparta. It carried with her to Kephallonia and it would stay with her now, relationships of any sort breed problems. The expectations others hold to you are just something she's never been a fan of and when attraction is involved, it can only get messy. She's broken enough hearts over the years for her to not want to be on the receiving end of it. It was never that deep to Kassandra, but she could only control her vested interest, not that of the other person. As many times as she'd repeat this mantra of hers over and over again that opening her heart would just lead to trouble, she finds that now there's a part of her that wants to ignore it and throw her cares to the wind for the first time. 

Kassandra was methodical and precise, she was a creature of comfortable habit and that suited her just fine. Her life was unconventional, but it was something that she did herself and that made it more tolerable to deal with. Her requests were almost always the same and, even if the event itself unfolded differently, there were always common factors. She'd wake up, do what needed to be done, and then call it a night. There was no room for deviation as those can cause mistakes and mistakes are not something she could ever afford. That was, until Kyra, and now she cannot help but consider if this is a mistake worth making.

She was not going to fool herself, Kyra was too good for her and would see that eventually. Kyra was everything she wasn't where it mattered. She was well spoken, highly intelligent, and most of all, a good person. Kassandra would never be that and she never cared enough to be well educated as she learned from trials and tribulations, the school of life, not someone who could play peacemaker amongst a bunch of blowharded men. Yet Kyra seemed to take this all with ease and grace and it was not something Kassandra could ever do.

Her life was unpredictable and unconventional and she couldn't see herself settling for anything less. Kyra didn't deserve to get roped into this with her and she wished she'd have been stronger in turning Kyra away. Maybe then she wouldn't be second guessing everything she says or does around her. Maybe she'd be just like she used to be and not care as that's what she's trained herself to do. Then again, Kyra has never been far from her mind since they met so it was possible this whole situation was inevitable.

It was perhaps fate that their paths would cross in some fashion as Kassandra didn't believe in much, but she did believe people were meant to be met for a reason. Whether good or bad, everyone she encountered had a reason for being in her life and it was up to her to decide how. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, she's always been drawn to Kyra and she's possibly the hardest lesson Kassandra will have to learn from.

She is being tested for her perseverance to herself and she's never had a problem dismissing people from her life before, but now she finds herself at an impass. Everything in her mind is telling her to run, to cut ties and be done with Kyra before it goes any deeper, but her heart says differently. She's never listened to it before as she can usually silence it, but it's volume this time around is too loud for her to ignore. Kyra is not going away from her heart anytime soon so she's left with a pretty hefty decision. She can force her away and live with the pain that it will bring or she can allow herself to be close to this walking beauty and set herself up for the largest heartbreak she's ever felt.

Either way, she can't let go of the feeling that she's going to be in a world of pain she's never encountered before. The more she let's Kyra in, the deeper it goes which wouldn't be as large of a concern if she wasn't harboring such a large secret from her. She's meant to tell Kyra about Thaletas now on numerous occasions, but there's no way she can just casually bring it up now. Any time she thinks she's going to tell her and works up the nerve, she loses it almost immediately when she sees her face.

Kyra's smile sends her off track as it is just so pure and enchanting that she never wants to say anything to have it removed from her face. Telling her the truth now will crush Kyra and it will end anything that she and Kassandra had and Kassandra couldn't face that. She could not bear to live without Kyra in her life the more she thought about it so this secret would most likely have to be taken to her grave. What does it even matter now anyway? He's been gone from her life and she's moved on, why should Kassandra reopen up old wounds? Would she deprive Kyra of this knowledge for Kassandra's own selfish wants? This was the true question and one that Kassandra couldn't answer with confidence. 

If she were to entertain the idea of being something more with Kyra for whatever reason, could she really do it based off a faulty foundation? It was one thing to keep parts of her past to herself as it had no direct bearing on Kyra, but Thaletas was her lover and she should have the right to know. By Kyra knowing though, she'd probably not want anything to do with her again as she would see what kind of person she really was. Kyra says she's no monster, but if she only knew.

Kassandra loses herself in thought as Kyra remains firmly in her embrace, unwavering in her support. Kassandra pulls her a little tighter to ensure that she's really here and Kassandra can feel her tighten her own grip in response.

It wasn't even about her pater at this point as she had made peace with that decision when she decided to end his life, but the fact that she felt compelled to tell Kyra this information. Seeing her so distraught had made her want to prove that she cared, even if she wasn't able to accept that for herself. Hearing Kyra think that Kassandra didn't even like her, broke her. She had meant to put space between them, but she never thought about how it could be interpreted. She only thought of herself as usual which was the cause for Kyra's outburst. 

Almost none of what she said was wrong, Kassandra knew she was not being a very nice person. She tried to keep it light and friendly to avoid talking about her feelings, but she clearly missed the mark as her attempts at humor to quell the issue only made it worse. Kyra could get under her skin in a way nobody ever has and, unlike others, she actually cares about what Kyra thinks of her. She's not sure when it happened, but she found herself not wanting to be shed in a poor light (although she was doing a wonderful job of it herself lately) whenever Kyra was involved. If she was going to be frustrated at anyone for all this, it would have to be herself.

She allowed herself to have Kyra tag along, for her to have a part of her that nobody did, and she couldn't blame Kyra for taking what she offered even if Kassandra changed her mind after it happened. It was apparent that Kyra was not going anywhere as much as Kassandra tried to push her away so maybe it was time to stop fighting it and allow herself this dangerous indulgence. She was already in past the point of no return so if they're going to crash and burn, she may as well go big.

Kassandra made the decision in that moment to allow Kyra in. It would need to be done gradually, but she doesn't think Kyra would mind at all. She's been so patient with her and as long as there was progress, Kassandra hopes Kyra will still be there when the dust settles. Her past was messy and her future would be too, but Kyra didn't seem to mind. It was almost like Kassandra's problems became her own and it shocked her more than anything.

Why would a person take on someone else's battles? What could she possibly have to gain from all of this?

Kassandra didn't know, but what she did know was that she was tired of always being on the defensive. She was tired of always being on the run from something, so very tired. Even now with a purpose, she felt like she was also trying to flee from her past. That somehow the choices she made now would overwrite what she's done in the past. It was a fool's errand no doubt, but she felt it a bit more achievable with Kyra beside her.

Kassandra loosens her grip enough to pull back so the two of them were face to face. As she looks down on Kyra, she doesn't see any sign of anger or hurt from what she caused earlier. Instead, she sees someone who is giving her a chance to be a better person, an opportunity to allow something better for her life. Kassandra wants to believe it, so she does.

Kassandra takes one of her hands and tucks a stray piece of hair behind Kyra's ear and the intensity of Kyra's gaze was so intense that Kassandra couldn't keep looking so she leaned forward to capture Kyra's lips in her own.

The kiss was tender and soft, a promise from Kassandra that she would do better for Kyra. Kyra deserved only the best that this life had to offer her and Kassandra would do what she needed to so that she was that person Kyra was worthy of. Even though this all scared her more than being outnumbered in battle, she knew it was what she needed to do.

The kiss did not last long, but it didn't need to. Kassandra knew that Kyra was still with her and that's what mattered. As much as she wanted to stay in this moment with Kyra for as long as possible, they both had a job to do and not much time to do it in. Sotera would be arriving very soon and they needed to make the most of that and prepare an ambush.

"We should get going" Kassandra finally speaks up, taking a step back from Kyra so she wouldn't be tempted to stay longer.

At her sudden movement back, Kassandra saw something flash briefly over Kyra's face and it looked like doubt. It then struck Kassandra that she was behaving no different than she'd done before. Every time they got close, she would withdraw and they would be back at square one. Kassandra needed to ensure that Kyra knew this time was different, that she was different.

The look fades from Kyra's face as soon as it arrived as she had learned to mask it, but Kassandra wouldn't have that, not now. Kassandra steps back into Kyra's space and clasps their hands together to show that she wasn't withdrawing. She needed Kyra to understand and since she was no good with words, she would let her actions show it.

Kyra looks down at their entwined hands and any shred of doubt she had seemed a thing of the past as she rewards Kassandra's action with that smile she loves and the two walk back to Phobos.

Kassandra hops on and helps Kyra on behind her and, unlike their ride into Megaris, Kyra allowed herself to be pressed against Kassandra's back and had her hands loosely over her waist.

It felt right and it felt as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Like Kyra was always meant to be here, to be with her, and yes it still scared her that she felt so strongly, but she also was a bit excited for what this could be for them.

"Hang on" Kassandra says to Kyra as she motions Phobos to gallop as she needed to make up for lost time. She feels Kyra's grip tighten around her waist and she allows a small smile to grace her face. Everything in this moment felt right and she would allow herself to feel the bliss that entails it.

The two headed off towards the heavily guarded port with a renewed vigor. The moment between them strengthened their bond like nothing before and Kassandra was ready to take all of them down single handedly with how good she felt. She no longer had to go about this alone and it was important that she understands just how teamwork goes as her first instincts are to handle every problem herself. Now, she had a fully capable partner beside her and as much as she wanted to protect her, she knew that Kyra would not allow herself to be coddled. Kassandra would need to respect Kyra as her equal and trust in her and her decisions. There would be no better trial then infiltrating a hostile territory to see how well they could indeed work together.

Kassandra stops them several meters away from the border wall that encompasses the area. Heading straight in would be stupid and would mark them immediately so she instead takes them towards the right side of the wall so the remainder of the way would be done by foot. It would be more difficult to infiltrate due to it being daylight, but Kassandra knew better than anyone that you had to strike when opportunity presented itself. 

They hug the wall, keeping an eye above them for scouts as this area would be patrolled heavily with the kind of goods and cargo that was passed among the more seedier side of the spectrum here. Kassandra decided it was time for a bird's eye view to get a better scope of the land. She's never called upon Ikaros like this in front of anyone before and she should probably broach the subject with Kyra as it will raise more questions than she has answers to.

"Kyra, I'm about to do something that will look odd, but I need you to trust me" Kassandra advises as she brings them to bear the right corner area with a high bush so they were well camouflaged.

"Ok, I trust you" Kyra confirms, obviously confused as to why Kassandra is talking about, but is playing along.

Kassandra nods and whistles for Ikaros which sends her body into a trance. She's not sure how or why this happens to her, but she can see what Ikaros sees when she calls on him to scout. Ever since she's met Ikaros, she's discovered things about herself that are not normal or natural. She's never told anybody about this connection as she would look like a fool, but she wants to trust Kyra with this. She just has to hope that Kyra doesn't find her an abomination with her abilities.

She always ensures that she hides well when she calls upon Ikaros as she's left completely vulnerable and unprotected. If the wrong people knew about what she could do, they could come after her and exploit her and that's not something she would allow.

As Ikaros soars high about the port, they are able to spot eleven guards and a woman standing near the edge of the docks. That must be Sotera as she is the only person there without some sort of armor on and she seems to exude this confidence about her. This wouldn't be that simple so Kassandra needed to decide if she was going to go up close and finish her or risk a ranged approach and be safer, but not be able to confirm the kill.

Kassandra snaps out of the trance to find Kyra staring at her with concern.

"Kassandra, what was that just now?" Kyra asks her calmly, but she can hear the worry in her voice. 

"We do not have the time to discuss it now, but I promise you an explanation as soon as we take care of this" Kassandra assures her while grasping her hand to try to convey her genuineness.

Kyra looks as if she's going to press the issue, but instead opts to remain silent.

"There are eleven guards inside that are scattered, mainly neat the main entrance and Sotera is located by the edge of the docks near the wall we're on" Kassandra explains as she evaluates the wall. This is just another perk of hers that she's not shared with Kyra. She can scale just about anything with ease and with speed, unlike anything she's ever seen. It's just another quirk of hers that she's learned to keep down in fear of judgement.

Kassandra knows she'll be able to traverse the layout with ease, but Kyra would have to rely on the stairs which would give away their position. Kyra is skilled, sure, but the way Kassandra can climb and maneuver isn't something the average person can do.

"Hug this wall and crouch low until you get to the rocks, wait for my signal before you climb up the rest of the way. Understood?" Kassandra asks as she locates the best route for her to climb up as the hill ran high so that it was only a small jump.

"Ok, but what are you going to do?" Kyra questions.

"I will climb over this wall down by the water where there is less likely to be guards and take out any scouts that I see so that you can climb near the rocks and hop over to get into position" Kassandra explains as she begins to scale the wall.

"But how will you..." Kyra begins, but the words die off as she watches Kassandra scale the wall with ease. Her jaw drops ever so slightly at the sight as this was definitely something she'd never seen before. 

Kassandra glances over at her and can see Kyra staring in awe, but she quickly snaps out of it and heads towards the designated area Kassandra had told her to go to. 

Kassandra resumes her climb and gets to the ledge with ease. She peeks her head up and finds nobody on this portion of the wall. Most likely a benefit of it being broad daylight and the guards having their guard down.

Kassandra hoists herself up and quickly walks towards the direction of the water, keeping her eyes peeled for any guards, but this area seems fairly well deserted. From what she can see, most are clustered near the main gates and, if all goes to plan, they won't be anywhere near that. There were a couple stragglers lingering below her, but those could taken out with ease.

Kassandra leans over and motions for Kyra to climb on up. She offers out her hand which Kyra takes as she pulls her over the wall.

"How do you want to do this?" Kyra asks, crouched down low to stay out of sight.

"I need to ensure she dies so I need to get close" Kassandra says as she's working her bow off her back, handing it to Kyra. "I will need you to watch from up the tower behind me and have my back."

Kyra grabs the bow and grabs some arrows from Kassandra's quiver and she climbs up to the top of the tower and got herself into position. She decided to get as high up as possible for a solid vantage point and she had the benefit of it being well covered. This will allow her ample coverage while allowing her arm to rest steady on the structure itself to make her shot as steady as possible.

Kassandra gently drops herself down and crouches against the high grass. She was grateful that most areas she had to infiltrate tended to do minimal housekeeping, allowing her to stay near main pathways, but also remain unseen.

Kassandra stalks along the path and spots a lone guard walking his patrol. She looks around to spot any others, but for the time being, they're alone. She breaks out of cover and makes swift work of the guard, silencing him before he could even react. 

She always found herself torn between knocking them out and killing them. She knew they were just doing their job, but at the same time, she knew what their employers were capable of and anyone willing to work for people like that were guilty by association. She did not want any loose ends so with a slice of his throat, the count dropped to ten.

Kassandra paces back to her original position and heads towards the docking area now as there should be at least one or two men around here. She could call Ikaros a second time, but she had to whistle for him and that could expose her spot so she'd have to do this the old fashioned way.

There were more patches of tall grass she could keep behind so she swaps between them as she advances closer to where Sotera was. Kassandra remembers Hermippos' words about her having intel so she ideally needed to clear enough of these men out that she could interrogate her to find Nyx, better known as The Shadow. She most likely won't go down without a fight so she needs to give herself as much berth as possible from the cluster at the main gate to where she stands.

Kassandra watches as the patrols make their rounds so she can follow their tracks, but as she breaks cover to take down the man at the back, the man at the front drops his shield.

It was too late for her to retreat as Kassandra had already impaled her spear into the neck of the man lagging behind, but the leading guard's shield rolled backwards, causing the him to spin around and watch the event unfold.

The guard immediately reaches for his sword and Kassandra readied herself for a fight and just hoped that he would be dumb enough to not yell for help. Unfortunately, he seemed to still have his bearings and reaction time.

The guard stumbles backwards and makes a motion with his free hand to help him project his voice for his call for help, but within a blink of an eye, he was now sporting an arrow straight through the opening of his helmet.

Kassandra watches as he falls backward with a thud, courtesy of Kyra's masterful precision. Kassandra pulls out the arrow and puts it away after wiping the blood off on the guards pants. She drags the bodies into a nearby tent and presses forward. She grateful she left her bow in good hands as Kyra's specialty has always been ranged attacks so this is something she'd need to consider as they picked off more and more of the cultists.

Kassandra is now close enough to see Sotera and she thinks to herself that it's almost too easy. There is nobody else around her and she just seems to be lounging. It's possible she's waiting for someone, but it was also possible that they knew she was here and it was a trap. Either way, she would be prepared and she knew she had backup which gave her leverage that they probably didn't know about.

Kassandra decides then that she was going to try a less hostile approach. She puts her spear away and motions her hand to signal to Kyra for her to hold her fire.

"Have to say, for someone so important, you'd think they'd leave you a bodyguard or two" Kassandra says to Sotera as she emerges from behind one of the large pots decorating the docks.

If Sotera was surprised by her arrival, she didn't show it. She remained wholly unphased by the intrusion and, in fact, seemed to welcome the company.

"Eagle Bearer, so kind of you to join me" Sotera says as she leans against some wooden beams behind her. "I was wondering when you would show up."

"I hope I didn't make you wait too long" Kassandra faux apologizes as she takes another few steps closer to her.

"It's not like you to make a lady wait or so I've heard" Sotera flirts and Kassandra is a bit taken back by it. The last thing she was expecting from this encounter was flirtatious banter. If that's how she wants to handle it though, Kassandra would oblige.

"Well I do always aim to please" Kassandra responds with a wink. "Have to say though, this wasn't what I expected when I started this conversation."

"Just like you, I am full of surprises" Sotera answers with a playful tone, setting Kassandra on high alert.

She scans their surroundings, but cannot see anyone so she now had to consider if Sotera is just playing mind games with her or if there are men hidden that she cannot see.

Feeling bold, Kassandra takes another few steps so that they're within a very close proximity. She was going to call her bluff.

"I do love surprises" Kassandra answers with a wiley grin. "You going to surprise me by telling me what I'm here for without me having to force it out of you?"

"Now where would the fun in that be?" Sotera practically purrs as she glances down next to herself.

Kassandra could see a long sharp stick on the ground below her, but she would be ready to block it at a moments notice. Sotera seemed to be the type that would spill the information themselves if their game was played and so Kassandra would play along as she was the only connection to The Shadow that they had.

Kassandra lowers her hand to her side, giving Kyra the signal to hold as she knew Sotera would try to strike her. They clearly did not recruit her for her intelligence so she's guessing by the banter they were having that she was able to gain information by seduction. She was attractive too so there would be few lips that wouldn't spill when a woman like that came asking.

Shortly after Kassandra gave the signal, Sotera attempted to stab her with the stick, but Kassandra easily telegraphed the move and caught her by the wrist.

"You insult me" Kassandra mock pouts as she squeezes her wrist hard enough that Sotera dropped the item.

Kassandra steps on it and pushes it backwards with her foot. "Now you see, I thought you and I were going to just have a nice chat, but you go and do this. What am I going to do with you?"

"Whatever you want" Sotera offers with a wink so Kassandra spins her around and presses her against the boards she was leaning against.

"I figured this was more your speed" Kassandra leans in to whisper in her ear, pressed up against her back. "Now, I am not going to be as nice anymore if you don't cooperate and I don't think you want that. You're going to tell me what you know." Kassandra eases up on her and releases her grip.

"In another life, I think you and I could've had some real fun" Sotera hints as she turns herself back around. "What do I get for telling you this information for free? Surely you know how this works."

Kassandra chuckles to herself as she registers the sheer nerve this woman has. "What I know is that you have two options. The first is that you just tell me what you know and I'll be on my merry way. The second is that you prove to be difficult and I have to hurt you. Which will it be?"

"I'm not afraid of a little pain" Sotera scoffs as she picks option two.

"You know, a part of me was hoping you'd say that" Kassandra smiles as she rushes Sotera back up against the wood, keeping one of her hands above her head. 

Kassandra presses her body up tight against her so that she can motion Kyra to shoot with the other. They did not have a uniform system for this, but she is hoping that Kyra understands what she's trying to say.

Kassandra hears it before she sees it because as soon as she clenches her fist, indicating for Kyra to shoot, she hears an arrow whiz past her left side as it embeds itself into Sotera's palm and the wood behind it. Kassandra slams her free hand over Sotera's mouth to muffle her scream. 

"How is this for pain?" Kassandra asks as she tugs on the injured hand to deepen the wound. She can feel Sotera speak into her palm, but she doesn't think it's anything useful at this point.

"I will ask you again because I'm generous, where is The Shadow?" Kassandra commands as releases the pull of her injured hand.

"She will kill me if I tell you, I can't" Sotera pleads as she realizes her charms will not work this time.

"I will kill you before she has the chance" Kassandra snaps. "The only thing that will change is if your death is swift or if I drag it out."

"Please don't kill me, I beg of you, I didn't even want to do this. The Shadow wants me dead anyway, please" Sotera begs.

Kassandra was usually steadfast in her decisions, but she found it harder to execute women than the men. Most of the women she encountered in these positions did so because they had no other viable option at the time. This could've easily been her if it were not for Markos, but she still had a job to do. She did feel bad for her though.

"I believe you," Kassandra says, her voice less harsh, "I truly do, but you have done more damage than you could ever imagine and that cannot go unpunished. Why would The Shadow want you dead though? Aren't you both on the same side?"

"She is afraid I am keeping secrets from her," Sotera admits, "but I am not and I would never!"

"That does little good now, but what I can promise you is justice" Kassandra attempts to negotiate. "If you tell me what you know, I will make your death swift as you were a dead woman anyway, we both know this. I will use the information you give me to kill her and send her to Hades where she belongs."

Sotera seems to sink in her demeanor at this as Kassandra thinks she's finally coming to terms with the fact that she will not live past this encounter. Facing death when it was unknown was one thing, but knowing exactly when your time was up can change a person.

"Ok. I will tell you" Sotera admits a defeat and Kassandra snaps the arrow in half so that she can free her hand. "The Shadow is a master at hiding in plain sight and cannot be found unless she wants you to find her so the chances of you finding her are nonexistent."

"I can find anyone, do not doubt my abilities" Kassandra reprimands as she would not be bested by someone who would hide behind façades. "Just tell me what you can."

"I have only ever seen her once, but nothing about her stands out" Sotera explains. "She is plain by every sense of the word which is why nobody can find her. People expect people who look like they'd be problems so they overlook the average in search of something deeper."

"Did she have any particular markings or scars that someone could recognize?" Kassandra pries as she's got just as much information as what she started with.

"No, that's why she is who she is. There is nothing unique about her which is what makes her so unique. I can, however, give you a location she frequents" Sotera offers, possibly giving Kassandra the information she needs. "It's the theater of Dionysus back in Athens, rumor has it she attends on occasion, but always under a new persona."

This aligned with what she already knew of The Shadow and her general location so the theater would be a good a place to start as any. The issue with that was that plays were incredibly infrequent due to the war so she would need to pull some strings to get something assembled. Alkibiades may have some contacts that could help or, if not, point her in the right direction. Unfortunately, Alkibiades had advised her of an upcoming trip to Elis so he would be gone for some time.

Kassandra refused to give up the search, but she needed to be patient. There were still plenty of cult members she could take down in the mean time and once she gets word of Alkibiades' return, they can make haste for Athens. Until then, she could take this opportunity to show Kyra more of the area.

This gives Kassandra an idea, but it was one she would come back to once this matter was handled.

"Sotera, that is very helpful information. I can definitely work from that, thank you" Kassandra thanks her although it means almost nothing at this point.

"I offer you a parting gift for your mercy. A man who goes by Midas in Argos may also have information on her." With that, Sotera closes her eyes for what is to come and Kassandra actually feels remorseful for what she needs to do now. 

Kassandra unsheathes her spear and makes quick work as she promised. It went straight through her heart and her body went limp immediately.

Kassandra was about to move her body when another arrow pierces the wood beside her. Kassandra shifts behind cover and looks to Kyra to see her motioning for her to look towards the door.

Kassandra now sees five of the guards heading directly for where she was so she needs to move and she needs to do it now. She was going to properly bury Sotera to ensure a safe passage across the Styx, but there was no time now. She had to hope that these men would do the right thing by her.

Kassandra darts back towards where she dropped down and scaled the wall back up, reuniting with Kyra.

"Thanks for the warning" Kassandra says as she helps Kyra back down towards the raised mound.

"You seemed distracted so I thought that would be the best way to get your attention" Kyra shrugs as she hugs the wall until they reach the corner.

With the coast clear, the run back to where they left Phobos near the ship cleaved in half.

"Where to next? Back to Athens?" Kyra questions as she hops behind you on Phobos.

"No, not yet" Kassandra shares, withholding just where they're going as the area isn't safe. "We need to leave now though so hang on."

Kassandra doesn't have Phobos hold back so he shoots off towards the stream and crosses it with ease as Kassandra takes them off road until they're far enough away from the area. Soon she leads them back to the path and heads towards Korinthia.

It doesn't take them long to breach the border so Kassandra takes them to a camp she had cleared out a few months ago. It would offer them some light protection from everything and a chance to unwind. Hopefully it hadn't been taken back, but she would deal with it if that were the case. 

Kyra remained quiet the whole ride, sensing Kassandra's uneasiness and for that she was grateful that Kyra was so intuitive. Saves her from having to explain herself, but Kyra got the message and was happy to oblige. The sun was beginning to set and Kassandra knew they could push forward more, but neither of them had eaten anything so far.

"I know a place where we can camp for the night as it will be dark soon and I don't want to push our luck" Kassandra shares with Kyra and gets a hum in acknowledgement.

Kassandra takes them around the outside of the camp and it appears deserted.

"This is the place. We can use one of the tents for a bit of warmth and I can get us a fire going" Kassandra explains as she hops down and begins to unpack their things.

Kyra follows suit and begins to scavenge for wood and just anything useful in general.

Kassandra chooses the tent furthest from the path on the lowest point. She makes some adjustments to it for security purposes as there are holes in just about all of them, but there's not much she can do. They will have to sleep on rotation tonight as she doesn't trust the area for them both to sleep.

Kassandra and Kyra work in tandem as they make the tent into as cozy a spot as possible and Kassandra starts a fire to allow them some warmth for now as they will need to put it out when it gets dark to not draw attention to themselves.

"For someone who lives on an island," Kassandra begins, "you're pretty impressive with this stuff."

"Was that your attempt at a compliment?" Kyra chuckles as she tosses a piece of wood towards Kassandra.

"I'm just saying that for someone with a lot of water, you handle land well" Kassandra defends, putting her hands up in a surrender.

"I live on land too you know..." Kyra points out. "I literally have the woods and everything."

"You know what, I take back my compliment. Consider it rescinded" Kassandra laughs as Kyra joins in.

"Not to kill the mood or anything, but uh, do you think you could fill me in with what happened today?" Kyra asks and Kassandra knows she should know everything so that's exactly what she tells her.

Kassandra shares everything (well, almost everything) about Sotera, only omitting the flirtatious banter they shared as it would do no good to get Kyra riled up over a dead woman. She told Kyra about the name she was given, Midas, and that their next destination was Argos in Argolis.

Kassandra shares everything mission wise and Kyra absorbs it all and offers no protest with their new destination or plan. Kassandra also noticed that Kyra did not push for the details Kassandra had promised her earlier about herself. She had promised to explain Ikaros and she should probably discuss her finesse of climbing unusual things. Kassandra wondered why Kyra didn't press, but then she remembers the conversation they had. 

Kyra was not going to push for Kassandra to share as she didn't want it to be forced. Kyra only wanted what Kassandra was willing to share which would have been nothing a week ago, but this time together has changed her and she made a promise to herself that she would do better.

Kassandra extinguishes the fire as night has settled and she goes back to sit on the bed rolls they have for themselves. Kassandra had volunteered for the first shift to allow Kyra the rest.

"Are you cold?" Kassandra inquires as she settles down next to Kyra.

"A little, but I'll be fine" Kyra answers, but Kassandra can see the goosebumps on her arms that tell her different.

"Come here" Kassandra motions for Kyra to come lay next to her. Kassandra had their pack behind her so she was reclined and able to see, but still could be comfortable and Kyra would easily fit next to her and have her head rest on her lap.

"Are you sure?" Kyra protests, wanting additional assurance that this is what Kassandra wanted too.

"Yes, please" Kassandra says as she pats the ground next to her. 

Kyra happily shifts closer, placing her head onto her lap and Kassandra can feel just how cold Kyra was as she cuddles up close. Kassandra takes this opportunity to run her fingers through Kyra's hair and can feel her relax beneath her. 

Kassandra feels herself ease by the touch and even though she remains alert, she embraces this moment of peace and quiet. They have nothing but time now and she owed Kyra an explanation for a few things so now was as good a time as any to have it.

"I am going to preface this with the disclaimer that I do not fully understand what I can do, but I still feel that it is important to try to explain" Kassandra begins, readjusting herself so that she is more comfortable, taking care not to jostle Kyra too much. "You've got to promise to listen with an open mind or else you'll think I'm crazy."

"Ok, I promise" Kyra agrees as she snuggles closer to Kassandra.

"I've been different for a while now, but I'm not sure why" Kassandra takes a deep breath and exhales her nerves. "I never noticed it growing up, but when Ikaros arrived a few years ago I saw the change. I was doing reconnaissance for a contract I had taken and I had gotten myself stuck in a bind and was surrounded by some very hostile men. I had a head injury and my vision was blurred so I wasn't able to see much of anything, but I heard Ikaros above me so I focused on him to keep concious. Before I knew it, I could see clearly from the sky and I saw myself down on the ground."

"So you became Ikaros?" Kassandra heard Kyra ask, no mockery in her tone.

"I don't think so" Kassandra dismisses. "I think I just can see what he sees, but it's not all the time. I have to be attuned to him and focused on him. It's how I'm able to scout so easily as I can, quite literally, have a bird's eye view."

Kyra rolls over so that she is looking up at Kassandra as she wants her to know that she believes her. Kyra had seen her do too many unimaginable things to discredit what she was saying. "That's so incredible Kassandra. What else can you do?"

"I can just guide his direction and altitude, but I don't have complete control. It is hard to describe, but I still am connected to where my body is" Kassandra looks down to see that she still has Kyra's full attention. "It is why I always try to find cover before I do it because my body remains vulnerable until I disconnect myself from Ikaros. It is incredibly dangerous for me to do which is why I don't advertise it."

"I can see why" Kyra agrees. "If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'm not sure I'd have believed it either. It just seems impossible, but if there's one thing I've learned since meeting you, it's that nothing ever is for you."

"That's not the only thing I can do that's, well, abnormal about me" Kassandra explains. "I also can climb at incredible speeds on just about any surface. It's like my hands are connected to whatever I touch and it ensures my grip is sturdy."

"Like the wall you climbed at the port" Kyra stated, remembering how awe struck she was. "I had never seen anyone move like that, yet alone at the speed you did."

"I can climb buildings, rocks, you name it. All with speed no matter the surface texture" Kassandra confirms.

Kyra appears to be taking this all in and giving it serious consideration, something she did not expect. She thought that Kyra wouldn't believe her and would claim this all as a fantasy, but Kyra surprised her. This woman was nothing but supportive, even with topics so astoundingly false sounding that Kassandra wouldn't believe them herself.

"What else can you do?" Kyra asks, hungry for more knowledge about her mysterious lover.

"I can heal fast" Kassandra shares. "I don't know how many times I've been wounded only to be healed back like it never happened the next day. Major wounds take a bit longer, but I still heal and only usually have a scar as a reminder that it ever happened."

Kassandra watches as Kyra's eyes furrow at this news. Kassandra's body is covered in scars so Kyra was probably putting the pieces together as to just how many larger scale incidents she's had.

"I've never shared this with anyone before" Kassandra admits, not meeting Kyra's eyes anymore. "At first it was out of necessity as I knew it would make me a target, but then it just grew into this secret that I knew I needed to keep."

"Kassandra," Kyra speaks softly as she reaches up to touch Kassandra's face, "who you are is nothing to be ashamed of. You are a remarkable woman and you should be proud of who you are."

"That's easier said than done Kyra, you must know this" Kassandra says as she leans into Kyra's touch. "I've spent my life being an outcast and on the wrong side of line that I just believed it was always better to not share anything with anyone. It's just safer that way."

"I'm sorry you've had to live like this, but I want you to know that I don't think any different of you knowing all of this" Kyra reassures, stroking her thumb across Kassandra's cheek. "You are still you, even if you do defy everything I know about being human."

Kyra smiles and Kassandra appreciates her attempt to lighten the mood.

"You should get some rest now, it's getting late" Kassandra says as Kyra pulls her hand away to roll to her side.

Kassandra stops Kyra from rolling over and lifts her up high enough so that she can lean forward and give her a kiss. It's a small gesture Kassandra's unfamiliar with wanting to do, but the more time she spends with Kyra, the more she wants to do it. It's not a grand declaration of love by any means, but it is a way for her to convey her appreciation while she figures it all out. 

Kassandra feels a lightness in her heart as she continues to gently stroke Kyra's hair as she watches her drift to sleep. There was still a long way to go on their journey, but Kassandra felt good about it all. So good in fact that she was going to have them go someplace that she never thought she'd return to again for a long time.

After they dealt with Midas, Kassandra was going to show Kyra where it all began.

She was going to return to Sparta.


	16. Coming Up Strong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to be a complete ride, fair warning. I even took the time to add more to this today bringing it almost to a 12.5k word count so I hope you've set aside some time as this won't be a quick read.
> 
> We get more of Kyra and her character development along with a huge strive in her relationship with Kassandra. The next couple chapters will be shifting back to Kassandra as this chapter paints Kyra's mindset very clearly so it's time to delve back into our misthios and how she's reacting to what they're going through.
> 
> Until next week....
> 
> Karmin - Coming Up Strong  
> https://youtu.be/iV2X0YsgyL0

The night was quiet, an odd stillness settled around them. Kyra had fallen asleep shortly after Kassandra explained herself and she felt a certain tranquility as she had drifted to sleep. In just a few days she was able to learn more about Kassandra than she had in the months they worked together back on Mykonos. Kyra wasn't sure why Kassandra had the sudden change of heart, maybe it was guilt from her explosion the other day or maybe she truly wanted to share this with Kyra. Either way, she was grateful for it as it allowed her that ever so small glimpse into what Kassandra's world was truly like.

Kyra would not try to pretend that she knew what Kassandra was dealing with, but she did want to empathize and offer support however she could. Kassandra faced burdens nobody ever should and she did it without complaint, a true testament to her character. It was a relief, albeit one difficult to understand, that she had some sort of help with Ikaros. It all seemed unfathomable, a sort of tale you would tell children as a bed time story, but Kassandra's was very real.

Every myth Kyra had come to know fell into question once Kassandra revealed her abilities to her. How many of these fabled stories she thought utter nonsense actually were true or had truth woven about them? How many others like Kassandra were there in the world? Probably none quite like her as she was an enigma all of her own accord, but still, the thoughts plague her.

She had all the time in the world to think as Kassandra lay sleeping beside her, her arm draped over Kyra's lap and her head gently rested on her leg. Kyra was tempted to allow herself the same ministrations Kassandra did to her earlier, but she didn't want to wake her as Kassandra was a notoriously light sleeper. Instead, she'd trail her hand on the ground beside them and make mindless patterns in the dirt while the time ticked by and the sun came up once more. 

She would allow herself this time to process everything that happened and everything that had yet to come. Kassandra was a woman on a mission and even knowing that there would be a setback didn't slow her down. If anything, it made her smarter, more creative as she had time on her side. Kassandra was a tactician if Kyra had ever seen one and sure, she may not be one in a traditional sense, but nothing about Kassandra was traditional. Here was a woman who took charge and did what she else her mind to, an awe inspiring trait that Kyra admired greatly. Faced with an obstacle, Kassandra grabbed life by the horns and bent it to her will, not the other way around.

The fact that Kassandra already had a plan for them for the next few months as they bide their time was anything short of extraordinary. Kassandra had kept their final destination a secret, but Kyra was excited for it anyway. She trusted Kassandra to make the right decisions with the path that they were taking. She knew their next target and that was enough for her. She didn't need to know everything, she was more than complacent in allowing Kassandra the reigns as she knew Kassandra would tell her if it were important. She found herself with rarely a care in the world and it was a new feeling, one she found she quite enjoyed. The only doubt that still lingered in her mind was Mykonos.

She'd been so caught up in Kassandra and their plans that she forgot about her responsibilities. The guilt struck her, but she found that she couldn't feel too bad about it as they were in good hands with Praxos. She did only say a month at best, but with everything Kassandra was planning, it would easily be three or four minimum. She found herself wrangling with the question of what she wanted to do. On the one hand, she did have a duty to her people, but on the other, what she was doing with Kassandra was technically for their benefit too. 

Eliminating the cult would be ensure a safety unlike no other for her people, but it would come at the cost of her time and an absence from the day to day decisions. There was also a small part of her that wanted to be selfish and just run away with Kassandra for the rest of their lives. To throw all her responsibilities to the wind and run off into the sunset with Kassandra by her side. It was a fevered dream at best, but it was still something she had considered at one time or another. For now though, she would take it day by day and not jump to anything rash. 

She would need to send a message to Praxos when they got to Argos to update him of her progress and whereabouts and she'd in turn request an update if the island. Praxos was in control for now, but he knew at the end of the day that Kyra's word was the law and he would respect that. She hopes all is as smooth as it could be, but with their new alliance with Sparta, it could cause tensions between her party and that of her father's. She would be a fool to think of all his supporters as long gone so the concern of a coup still lingered. As much as she enjoyed what she was doing now, she would drop this all in a heartbeat to go home if they truly needed her. 

Kyra glances out towards the horizon and can see the glow of the sun beginning to rise. It would be a long few days before they got to Argos as they needed to restock their limited supplies and earn some drachmae. Their nomadic lifestyle was not something they could do for free and they had left the majority of the money they found with Barnabas and the Adrestia. She and Kassandra only took a minimal amount as they knew they could earn more on the road. They would stop in Korinthia and pursue open contracts or bounties that weren't overly time consuming and pad their pockets.

As Kyra considered their next steps, she could feel Kassandra becoming restless beneath her. Kyra looked down to see her face had contorted into a frown and that the muscles on her forehead were twitching into a heavy scowl. 

Kyra was rarely awake when Kassandra was in the night when they were together so she's never witnessed her night terrors before. Everyone has them, but Kassandra carries a heavier weight than most and she cannot even fathom what nightmares plague Kassandra's mind. Kyra doesn't want to wake her, but she also doesn't want her to continue to suffer. Kyra decides to play with her hair in an attempt to soothe her, but as soon as her hand reaches the top of her head, it's grasped hard by Kassandra. 

Before Kyra knew it, Kassandra had pulled her forward and lobbed her to the ground and had her pinned. Kyra was more shocked than anything that she didn't feel the pain radiating in her arm as Kassandra had her in a hold while her knee was placed to the back of Kyra's neck.

"Kassandra, stop!" Kyra shouts, her face muffled by the dirt. "You're hurting me!"

Kassandra snaps out of the trance she was in hearing Kyra's voice in pain and she relents immediately. Kyra rolls over and cradles her arm against her chest and she can see the horrored expression on Kassandra's face at what she just did.

"Kyra...I" Kassandra says disheveled as she takes several steps backwards until her back hits the tent lining. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I'm so sorry."

Kyra hears the remorse and guilt in Kassandra's voice and as much as her arm hurts her, she knew Kassandra was not in control of her actions. Kyra didn't realize the extent that Kassandra was troubled and it was clear that her troubles haunted her in both reality and in her dreams. She also cannot find it in her to speak right now as she's being overtaken by a wave of conflicting emotions.

"Are you hurt? Did I hurt you?" Kassandra presses, needing to know the damage she caused.

"It's just my arm is a bit sore, it will be fine" Kyra downplays as it actually felt like she pulled a muscle, but she did not need to add to Kassandra's guilt.

"I-" Kassandra tries to speak, but it seems like she can't form the words. Her hands clasp over her mouth as her eyes stare wide at Kyra.

As much as Kyra would like to take a moment to process all of this, it is clear Kassandra is taking this student outburst incredibly poor and Kyra knows at the end of the day that she doesn't want to keep Kassandra at arms length.

"Kassandra, I am ok, I promise" Kyra tries to reassure her, but Kassandra isn't buying it.

"I can see your face Kyra!" Kassandra shouts, angry at herself, not Kyra. "I can see you wince whenever your arm moves so it isn't nothing! I did this to you..." 

Kyra moves forward to comfort Kassandra, but Kassandra recoils her advances and makes a hasty exit of the tent. Kyra could feel all their progress slipping away at this accident as that's all this was. Kassandra did not mean to do this and Kyra did not hold her at fault for it, but Kassandra must've not known she was capable of this or Kyra doubts she would have been allowed this close. She needed to get a hold of this situation before it spiraled too far out of control.

Kassandra was obviously lost within herself as she was muttering incoherently as she paced near the tree. Kyra didn't have enough exposure to this to know how to fix it, but she knew she needed to do something to get her and Kassandra on a level field again.

"Kassandra, please, come back" Kyra pleads, but Kassandra looks like she didn't even hear her. She just continues pacing while she stares sharply at her own hands. "Let's talk about this."

Still no response so her being nice was not going to snap her out of this. Kyra looked around and it still appeared that they were still the only ones out here so she decides to take a different approach.

"Kassandra. Get over here. Now." Kyra orders firmly, her voice loud and harsh. This does the trick as Kassandra stops dead in her tracks and looks over to Kyra.

Kassandra slowly moves closer to her, but she keeps a bit of distance between them which Kyra can handle for now. She doesn't want to sound angry anymore as she's not, but she'll do what she needs to grab her attention.

"I know what just happened was an accident Kassandra" Kyra explains, but she can tell Kassandra is going to protest.

"But-" Kassandra tries to counter, but Kyra was not having it.

"Don't you dare" Kyra scolds, effectively shutting Kassandra up. "You are going to listen to me. Understood?"

Kassandra nods in affirmation so Kyra reaches out her hand to take Kassandra's in her own.

"You didn't mean to do this" Kyra states matter of factly. "I know this and you know this, so I need you to not withdraw on me like this."

"How can you say all this when I hurt you?" Kassandra asks dumbfounded.

"You didn't, it's nothing more than a mild ache and you were not in control of your actions" Kyra assures as she gently rubs her thumb over the back of Kassandra's hand.

"It doesn't matter if I meant to do it or not," Kassandra withdraws, but she doesn't move to take her hand back, "what matters is that happened."

"Ok, then by that logic it was all my fault that this happened and you should be upset with me, not yourself" Kyra counters, taking in the confused look on Kassandra's face.

"Your fault?" Kassandra questions.

"My fault" Kyra affirms. "I was the one who touched you so by your logic, that would make me the responsible party as I did the provoking."

"That's stupid Kyra," Kassandra scoffs, "you were not responsible for this."

"Neither were you" Kyra counters. "What happened was a shock to both of us and we will learn from it to ensure it never happens again, but I can't have you withdrawing on me ever time something bad happens. I need us to be able to talk about it. Can we do that? Please?"

Kyra leaves the decision to Kassandra as she is the one that ultimately needs to decide on what she wants to do. Kyra made her position known and she has to trust that Kassandra won't bring them back to square one.

Kyra can tell that Kassandra is pensively thinking it over and there's a nagging part of her that thinks she's pushing it too fast, but she can't go back to square one again. She's worked too hard to work her way into Kassandra's inner workings to allow such a setback to wipe it all out. 

Kassandra still looks torn by the situation, but she ultimately relents her self inflicted punishment as she looks to Kyra and says "I don't think I will be good at this, but we can talk."

A small wave of relief overcomes Kyra as Kassandra would never have agreed to such talks even a week ago, but Kassandra was showing Kyra that she was willing to work on herself and Kyra would take each step as they came.

"I think we could go back in the tent," Kyra suggests, "as it offers a bit more privacy and I'd really like to sit."

"Ok, sure" Kassandra agrees and the two of them take their seats.

Kassandra hesitated to sit until Kyra settled so she could keep some space, but Kyra was already a step ahead and predicted this. She takes Kassandra's hand and gently pulls her down beside her so that they're sitting face to face, but their knees are still touching.

"Why are you being so nice to me about this?" Kassandra asks dumbfounded, having written herself out of Kyra's good graces the moment this all happened.

"Because I lo-" Kyra abruptly cuts herself off, mentally scrambling to save herself from uttering those three words that would permanently change everything between them. "Because I care about you and I want to help."

If Kassandra caught Kyra's almost blunder, she had the decency to not show it. Instead, Kassandra dips her head down and takes a deep breath.

"I have nightmares on a regular basis when I sleep more than just small spurts and I've always just endured it, but I have never had someone with me when it's happened" Kassandra confesses. "I rarely sleep as it is, especially if I have someone in my bed."

Kassandra looks down after admitting that as it meant that she must've done the same thing with Kyra. They hadn't been together a lot, but Kyra couldn't recall a time where Kassandra was still in bed with her when she awoke.

Now that Kyra is hearing it from Kassandra herself, everything makes much more sense. Kyra had chalked it up to intimacy issues (which still was very much a thing with Kassandra), but she didn't realize how deep this ran. Kassandra wouldn't allow herself to relax enough to put herself in that position as she didn't want to hurt anyone. 

Kyra's heart breaks a bit by Kassandra suffering like this in silence for who knows how long. Kassandra was afraid of herself and not being in control which explains why she was always so difficult. Kassandra must've felt as if she was protecting Kyra from this "monster" that she's been claiming she is. It also meant that, for the first time, Kassandra allowed her guard to drop enough where she felt safe enough to actually sleep.

"Kassandra..." Kyra whispers softly, "I had no idea you suffered like this."

"It's not anyone's problem but mine so I just never bothered" Kassandra deflects, her head still looking down at the ground.

"I've said this before and I will say it again" Kyra leans forward to place her hand on Kassandra's knee. "Your battles don't have to be fought alone so long as I am here. Your problems are my problems."

Kassandra doesn't say anything at first and Kyra understands as finding the right words are important in this very moment, but as the time drags she wonders if Kassandra had even heard her at all. Her concern fades as she watches as a single tear drop fall from Kassandra's face and the sound of a small sniffle that accompanied it.

Kyra had never seen Kassandra like this before. Kassandra was always so stoic and hardened to her and the world, but now, she's been given another glimpse at the true Kassandra. One who allows herself to feel and express the pain that she carries. The anguish of a woman who shoulders the world's burdens on her own without fault.

Kyra doesn't want to impede on her moment, but she wants Kassandra to understand that she can feel safe with her. That if she allows her into her heart she'll only be gentle and caring. She wasn't a saint herself, but Kassandra being unhappy was something she never wanted to see and she would do anything in her power to keep her happy. 

Her feelings towards Kassandra were no longer a mystery. She knew without a doubt that Kassandra was the only one for her now and forever. The hold Kassandra had over her was almost suffocating, but not in a bad way. Her thoughts were consumed by this woman and she'd never feel more sure of herself than when she was with Kassandra. Everything she did, she did with a renewed sense of purpose and it was all thanks to Kassandra. She was forced to think about someone other than herself and it was a scary, yet rewarding experience. It was like she became invigorated, that a new life had been injected within her and she could feel the changes and see the difference. She loved Kassandra with every fiber of her being and that would be enough. Kyra was not the same woman who walked away from Mykonos and she couldn't be more grateful.

Kyra, wanting the physicality, parts Kassandra's crisscrossed legs and scoots herself so that they are sitting chest to chest, Kyra's legs now resting over Kassandra's thighs. She feels Kassandra stiffen, but she doesn't stop. Gently, Kyra pulls Kassandra forward into her chest and just holds her. 

Kassandra doesn't return the embrace, but that was not the point. The point was that Kyra was not going to be pushed away and she wanted Kassandra to know that, to feel that. Kyra wouldn't judge her for things beyond her control and she would be the support Kassandra's never had. Having lived her whole life fending for herself, it can cause damage. Damage that Kyra was grateful she didn't have to experience.

With her mater's murder at a young age and her pater's nonexistence, she could've followed in the same path, but she was taken in as a young girl and raised by the rebellion. The men and women she fought with were her family and they had always supported her and helped mold her into the woman she was today. Kassandra knew no such luxury, at least to her knowledge. She's only had herself and that is a loneliness Kyra couldn't even fathom.

It was too late to correct the past, but she would do everything in her power to make the present different.

Kyra keep her hold tight with one hand at the small of Kassandra's back while the other is making soothing circles between her shoulders. She would stay here as long as she needed to and with the arrival of the sun, the dangers of the night pass so her focus can be where it needs to be.

After about ten minutes or so Kassandra, now composed, pulls back and breaks the embrace. Her gaze still refuses to meet Kyra's and she can't help but wonder if she's overstepped too far. Kyra may know how she feels, but what Kassandra does is still an enigma to her. It could be that Kassandra only views her as a friend, maybe not even that and as much as it would break her heart, she would respect it. It didn't mean she wouldn't try to change her mind, but if Kassandra ever drew a line she would keep behind it no matter how she felt. An unrequited love was a story she's heard many times and had witnessed a few of her own, but being on the other side of it now would be a cruel fate.

Now was not about her, it was about Kassandra and she could consider what a tragedy this could all be later. For now, she would be whatever Kassandra needed her to be.

"We should get going" Kassandra says softly as her eyes finally lift to Kyra's.

They look conflicted, but softer than before so this outburst she had must've relieved some tension. Still as beautiful as ever though, even tinted slightly red from the tears. Kyra can also see the outline of where some more tears fell down Kassandra's face, leaving an imprint on her dusty skin.

Kyra could use a good wash, but Kassandra would probably feel better once she had a chance to clean herself up.

"Do you think we could stop by the water first?" Kyra asks knowing that Kassandra would be mortified to be seen like this in public. "I could really go for a quick clean up."

"Of course" Kassandra agrees as she slides Kyra's legs away so she can scoot back and stand up.

Kyra follows suit, brushing off the excess dirt from her clothes before they both pack up their things and head for Korinthia.

Kassandra takes them to the nearby crossing and brings them to one of the beaches. It was empty at this time of day so it would shroud them in some sort of privacy while they washed up. Neither took the time to linger as it was not the time nor the mood for anything more than the basic hygienic necessity. Kyra had just opted to go into the water fully clothed as her peplos was covered in grime as she hadn't ever considered a change of clothes in her haste to catch Kassandra that night. 

How it all feels like centuries ago that she was at that tavern on Delos, fending off Kassandra's attacker and wondering what damage had already been done. How Kassandra had been back on her feet so fast was astonishing until Kassandra filled in the blank with her admission last night. It set a lot of puzzles into place knowing this about Kassandra. It still didn't stop the haunting memory of seeing Kassandra in a pool of blood, helpless. The memory burned deep within her and she found it coming to her mind whenever they encountered a violent situation.

It still amazed her that Kassandra had no idea that it was her that lent the helping hand all those nights ago. Kassandra hadn't even spoken of the encounter to her knowledge so she wonders if it will ever get brought up. It was something she had considered speaking to her about, but there had never been a good time as it's been hectic ever since for one reason or another. It also wasn't something Kassandra wanted to relive either as she would've died and nobody would have been the wiser. Defeat is not something in Kassandra's vocabulary so it was probably best if she just kept this secret from her for now and maybe down the line she'd tell her.

Kyra wrings out her clothes as best as she can and the two of them head for Korinth in search of work. Their drachmae stash was still plentiful, but if Kassandra said they need more, Kyra would trust her call. Kyra didn't know where they were going beyond Argos, but Kassandra clearly had a plan. It was no matter, she would do what needed to be done and it would give her some exposure into the world Kassandra calls home.

They arrive with the day still fully ahead of them and Kassandra takes them into Korinth, towards the city center to check for any contracts. Luck finally on their side as the message board was riddled with pleas for aid for both small and large tasks.

Kassandra has barely spoken a word to her so Kyra decides to offer her some space.

"Why don't we split up?" Kyra suggests.

"You don't know the area" Kassandra responds, her voice neutral.

"It's no matter, I can ask for directions," Kyra states, "I've always been a people person. Plus, it will help us get more money faster than if I just followed you."

Kassandra looks over the few requests she took of the board and hands one of them to Kyra.

"This should be the least tedious of the batch" Kassandra responds, handing Kyra the note. "It is just a delivery so it should be cut and dry."

A part of Kyra wants to argue that she could handle a more risky task, but the point of all this was to give Kassandra the space which also means giving her some peace of mind. 

"Got it" Kyra agrees as she reads over the provided details. It seemed to be a simple task for a high payout so whatever she was delivering, it must be important. "We should meet back here once we finish."

"Agreed," Kassandra confirms, "we should try to get these done as fast as possible so we can make for Argos as I have a friend there that we can stay with."

"Sounds good" Kyra agrees.

She can see Kassandra start to fidget as they both stand there, each second that passes becomes more awkward from the silence. 

"Good luck Kassandra." She doesn't wait around for a response as she knew Kassandra just wanted to walk away, but didn't know how. 

It takes her asking about six people, but she eventually makes her way to the man who posted the note and he accepts her answer that she was a misthios. Kyra did not want to go around advertising her true job and her being a misthios wasn't too far from the truth as of now.

The job seemed simple enough at first, but Kyra noticed a tail as soon as she took the package. She played the fool and pretended she was oblivious to him as she was in too remote of an area to lose him, but her surroundings would be changing very soon as she was heading towards a busy street. She was lost, but this person didn't know that so she'd be able to lose him and then try to figure out where she was going. 

Turns out this guy was harder to shake than she anticipated. She tried to casually lose him a few times, but he always managed to catch back up. She would have to try something more advanced.

Kyra spots a group of women sitting and decides to take a risk and see if they can help her out.

"Pardon me ladies for intruding," Kyra apologizes as she takes a seat near them, "but I was wondering if you could help me? You see, my ex boyfriend has been following me and I just can't seem to shake him."

The women look behind her and quickly look back her way.

"He the one with the eye patch and the scowl?" One of the women ask.

"Yes, that's him" Kyra confirms. "I can pay you for your help, I just need a distraction so I can slip away."

"Oh honey," the same woman speaks up, "we'll help you for free with a man looking like that."

"You will? Oh thank you, thank you all" Kyra thanks them and they waste no time in their assistance.

The women group together and walk angrily his direction. Kyra takes the opportunity to slowly back away towards the alley behind her and once her sight of him was fully obstructed, she bolted away. She could hear them screaming at him as she made her getaway and she got back a little hope for humanity by the kindness shown to her by complete strangers.

She zig zags for a couple minutes until she's sure she's free and clear. Only thing now was that she was completely lost, but she still was within the city limits so she could still bet on finding people to help her.

She walks into a marketplace and stops at a few vendors to get her way and, as it would turn out, she was right next to it all along. Turns out it was to a blacksmith, but the shop was anything but traditional.

The exterior was nothing special, but as she made her way inside she found a place filled with exquisite crafting tools and all the pieces were not your run of the mill type. There were handles made of ivory, gold, and so much more.

"Can I help you?" The man behind the counter asks.

"I have a delivery for Polykleitos? Do I have the right place?" Kyra asks.

"It is about time!" A man shouts from behind her. "I have been waiting for this all day."

Kyra, started from the man's sudden appearance, takes a moment to view the rude man.

"I'm sorry?" She offers a false apology as nothing about this mentioned a time.

"It is dangerous for me to remain at this place for too long" Polykleitos says, his eyes scanning their surroundings as if he was paranoid. "Were you followed?"

"I was at first, but I made him lose the trail. Who are you exactly to be drawing this much attention?" Kyra asks curiously, but is met with silence.

"Ok..." Kyra draws out. "It doesn't matter anyway, but I do believe you owe me some drachmae."

"Yes. Fine." He hands her a hefty pouch and she pockets it with a smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you" she mock salutes as she exits the shop and works her way back to where she needed to meet Kassandra.

As she arrives, she spots Kassandra sitting down nearby, playing in the dirt.

"Took you that long for a delivery?" Kassandra inquires.

Kyra can't detect any hidden jabs in her tone, but she's not sure she wants to get into the story with her right now.

"Got lost, but the job got done and it paid handsomely" Kyra says as she tosses the coin pouch to Kassandra.

"Not bad for your first haul" Kassandra says as she feels the weight of the drachmae. "What were you delivering?" 

"No idea, but the man I gave it to was paranoid so I was in and out in no time. He didn't seem like much of a talker" Kyra answers as Kassandra tosses the pouch back.

"Most aren't, talking is overrated" Kassandra comments and Kyra takes it a bit more personal than maybe she should.

Kyra had done what she could at this point for Kassandra so if she still wanted to not talk to her, that would be fine as she's not sure she has anything nice to say. There was no use in just standing around though as if Kassandra had a friend in Argos, that meant she may have a bed to sleep in and she could use the rest.

"We should get going, we're wasting daylight" Kyra states as she looks at Kassandra who only nods in agreement. 

Kassandra whistles for Phobos and he arrives in a matter of seconds which still gets Kyra, but she knows better than to question it again. They both hop on and make haste to Argos, arriving by late afternoon at best.

Kyra takes in the view as it is more scenic than their last leg and she is amazed at how much of the world she's never seen. How people could be living a completely different life and never be even aware of her existence or her way of life. It strikes her that she's only seeing a fraction of what could possibly be out there and she realizes just how small she is in the grand scheme of things. Nothing like a small existential crisis to put yourself in perspective.

"Since there's still some daylight, my friend will probably be at his workshop so we will try there first" Kassandra shares as they enter what must be Argos. Large and thick walls encompass the city, something that seems to be very common from what Kyra has seen.

When Kassandra finally slows to a stop, they're in front of a massive building with a spacious front yard filled with various knickknacks and one large tree in the center.

"Wow, your friend much be rich" Kyra comments as she hops down and walks onto the property.

"Very much so" Kassandra confirms as she scans to find the man they're looking for. "He is actually one of the largest contributors to Argolis' wealth with his work."

Kassandra must have spotted him because she takes off in a light jog so Kyra dutifully follows.

When she spots the man, his back is to them as he intricately chips away at the marble before him. Something about him strikes her as familiar, maybe the outfit, but she chalks it up to a coincidence.

"Polykleitos!" Kassandra shouts to try to get the man's attention as they walk up.

"Did you just say Polykleitos?!" Kyra questions, that name ringing all sorts of bells.

"Yeah, why?" Kassandra asks confused. Do you know him?"

Kyra doesn't get to answer as the man walks up to them and greets Kassandra.

"Kassandra! What a pleasant surprise and a well timed one too, I just got back not too long ago" he greets her with a handshake before he turns his attention to Kyra.

His eyes go wide at the recognition and that confirms that this was the same man she delivered the package to back in Korinth.

"You again? What are you doing here? Tell me" Polykleitos demands more than asks as this second meeting was highly unexpected.

"I see you're still as rude as ever" Kyra snarls back and she can feel the tension building between them.

"Stop it both of you" Kassandra scolds and Kyra and Polykleitos both close their mouths. "How do you even know each other?"

"He's the man I delivered the package to back in Korinth" Kyra explains, keeping the rest of the story to herself for now.

"That doesn't explain the hostility here" Kassandra presses.

"I have no idea why he doesn't like me" Kyra admits honestly. "Ask him."

Kassandra shifts her head to him and he looks a bit more sheepish under her piercing stare.

"Your friend here brought a tail right to me!" Polykleitos accuses and Kyra was at a loss.

"I did no such thing!" Kyra argues back. "I had a tail the moment I got your stupid package and I lost him in the alleys with the help of some women so I didn't bring a damn person to you but me."

"How do I know you're not with them? You could be spying for them?" He accuses Kyra and before she can speak, Kassandra steps between them.

"You had best watch your tongue when speaking to her. Am I clear?" The words sound calm when Kassandra says them, but the threat behind them is all too prevalent and he knows it. "Kyra is with me and has been with me for a while now so whoever you think she works for, she doesn't. We found the courier request on the message board and I am the one who told Kyra to do it. She's also highly trained and would not be so sloppy as to bring someone to you so if you gained a tail on your way home, it was not Kyra's doing. Now, with this all said, I think you owe her an apology."

Kyra's jaw is slightly agape at the verbal scolding Kassandra just dished out, but it seems to have done the trick as Polykleitos' entire demeanor changes.

"Right," he mumbles before he directs his attention back to Kyra, "I apologize for my behavior. My paranoia must have gotten the better of me and I took it out on you. Please accept my most humble of apologies."

Kyra doesn't really want to because he still was a complete jerk to her, but it is clear that he's got a lot that he's dealing with so she will cut him some slack. "Apology accepted."

"Now that we're all friends again, I have a favor to ask of you" Kassandra directs herself to Polykleitos. "Could we stay here for the night as we have business to attend too, but it is too dark to do so now."

"Of course, follow me and I will show you to where you can both sleep" Polykleitos says as he leads them inside and up a set of stairs. "I have two rooms that you can both use."

"Thank you, this is very kind" Kassandra thanks him while Kyra remains silent, still pissed at how her evening has turned out.

"I must get back to my work, but it was nice to see you again Kassandra. You too Kyra. Good night" and with that, he leaves them in the hallway to return back to work.

Kyra isn't in the mood for much of anything right now so she's just going to go to bed. Alone.

"I'm going to bed," Kyra states abruptly, good night."

She enters the room closest to her and swiftly pulls the curtain back into place before Kassandra can say anything. She didn't want to argue and with how they both were, it's almost a guarantee that they would have. It's not like Kassandra would've slept next to her again anyway after last night so this would have been the inevitable sooner or later.

She undresses into just her underwear and crawls into the scratchy bed. It was made of straw undoubtedly and there was only a thin sheet between her and it, but it still beat the crap out of laying in dirt. She could feel her hunger begin to set, but she was confident she'd be asleep before that mattered and the less food she ate, the less resources they use up.

Her sleep is broken, but it was still better than nothing. She doesn't want to get up, but her room doesn't have a window so she doesn't know what time it is. She knows Kassandra would've gotten her if it was too late, but she wanted to see if she could afford to try to go back to sleep or not.

Kyra decides to keep herself as is in terms of clothing as she figures this man was the type to work in solitude so the odds of someone else lingering around were probably slim. She gently pulls back the curtain and walks down the hallway until she gets to the end. It is dark with the exception of the torches dimly lit in the opening below them so it is safe to assume it's not morning yet. Still, she finds a window and looks out to see the moon still high in the sky.

"Is everything ok?" Kassandra asks, scaring the life out of Kyra.

"Gods Kassandra, for fucks sake" she scolds as she places her hand over her heart, feeling it's rapid pace.

"I'm sorry," Kassandra apologizes, "I didn't mean to startle you. I just heard you walk out so I wanted to check on you."

"Other than the fact that I think I died a little bit inside, I'm fine" Kyra exaggerates for the sake of being dramatic and she can make out a small smile on Kassandra's face.

"Bold of you to just walk out without any clothes on too" Kassandra comments, clearly in a better mood than earlier.

"I've got nothing to be ashamed about and who knows, seeing me like this might make someone's night" Kyra boldly comments.

"You're not wrong" is all Kassandra responds with and Kyra can't tell if she's just playing along or it she means it. 

It doesn't matter either way as she still was grumpy and wasn't going to pretend otherwise. Unlike Kassandra clearly, Kyra cannot just flip her mood on a whim and become someone completely different in a matter of moments. 

"I was just checking the time as I didn't want to oversleep. I'm going to go back to bed" Kyra says as she walks back towards Kassandra, but she can't get very far as Kassandra is blocking the narrow hallway by standing with her in the middle of it.

"Please move, I am not in the mood for your games" Kyra requests, her voice as pleasant as she can make it.

Kassandra appraises her and opts to remain in place instead of making this easy and just stepping to the side.

"I'm not doing this" Kyra frustratingly huffs as she turns around and heads back the way she came. If Kassandra wasn't going to move, she would. She was tired of Kassandra always prodding her at the worst of times as if nothing was wrong.

Kyra finds the stairs and heads down to the ground floor. She's not sure what areas are off limits, but she figures it's all fair game for right now. She takes one of the torches and begins to walk around, taking care to not knock into any of his work. If she broke any of these, she'd be in a heap of trouble and she didn't want to be making enemies.

As she looked for anywhere else to sleep for the night, she ran up short as everything she looked at was filled with various supplies or created statues. This means she'd have to go upstairs and deal with Kassandra. It wasn't something she was looking forward to, but she could always lay in the hallway. It wouldn't be ideal, but it would get her point across.

Kyra places the torch back and heads back up the stairs and to her delight, Kassandra is no longer in sight.

"Thank god" Kyra mumbles as she walks back into her room.

As soon as she pulls the curtain back, she let's out an audible sigh. There Kassandra was, laying in her bed, waiting for her to return like she knew she would.

"You were gone longer than I expected" Kassandra admits. "I thought I was going to have to find you."

"You found me, congratulations, now please leave so I can go to bed" Kyra requests, but Kassandra makes no move to get up.

It was safe to say that Kyra fuse was running short and she was going to burst if she couldn't get herself back under control. It was like Kassandra loved to get a rise out of her with how frequently this happened.

Kyra considers going into Kassandra's room, but she knows Kassandra will follow anyway and she'd prefer the bed she's already familiar with so she resigns herself to the situation.

Kyra walks over to her side of the bed, a courtesy Kassandra still left her, and she gets under the covers without a sound. She rolls over so her back is towards Kassandra, but she can't stop her mind enough to make her sleep. She does come up with a surefire way to make Kassandra leave, but she's still weighing the outcome.

Kyra could make a comment about the night before and it would be a low blow, but it would be effective. All she had to say was that she was uncomfortable with Kassandra being in the same bed and she knew that Kassandra would withdraw herself immediately. The downside would be that it would damage their relationship, possibly even irreparably and that wasn't something she wanted. She would just have to deal with another sleepless night.

"Can't sleep?" Kassandra comments on the obvious.

"Nope" Kyra responds. "It's almost like someone is trying to keep me awake."

"Maybe someone has something to say" Kassandra counters.

"That's never seemed to stop someone before so I don't know why they'd care now" Kyra answers.

"Look, Kyra," Kassandra begins, "I wanted to apologize for before."

"Apology accepted now good night" Kyra responds too quickly for Kassandra's liking.

"I'm serious Kyra" Kassandra responds and that's enough to push Kyra over the edge.

Kyra throws off her covers and sits up to face Kassandra. "So am I Kassandra. We don't just do this when you decide to. I have feelings too and it's clear that they don't matter much to you."

"That's not true Kyra" Kassandra defends, but Kyra wasn't having it.

"What part of what I said was wrong? Hmm?" Kyra poses rhetorically. "Honestly look back and tell me that you've considered my feelings within the past day. Go ahead. Tell me how you thought of me when you decided to stop talking to me. Again. Tell me that you cared enough to check on me at all before now."

Kassandra stays silent so Kyra decides to keep on the offensive.

"That's right, " Kyra affirms, "it's because you can't because you don't."

Now that Kyra's built up the momentum, she finds she can't stop. "I've tried so hard Kassandra, so very hard, to always be considerate of your feelings, but I clearly do not get the same courtesy from you. I'm not expecting miracles overnight, but my god Kassandra. All I've wanted to be is close to you, someone you can trust to be yourself, but it's like you're fighting me on every fucking turn. You can't just give me the silent treatment every time something doesn't go your way. It's like every time I make progress, you change the game and the rules and just expect me to be ok with it. Well, I'm not. I'm not ok."

Kyra can feel the weight lift off her with her admission as she's kept all of this bottled up within her and it just wasn't healthy. She's probably ruined her relationship with Kassandra by going off on her like this, but she couldn't stay quiet anymore. She was a forgiving woman, but there's still only so much she can take before it became too much. Kyra can only wait with bated breath as she waits for Kassandra's reaction.

"Good night, Kyra" Kassandra whispers softly as she gets up from the bed to head to her own room.

"Are you fucking serious?" Kyra snaps, standing up to follow Kassandra. "You're now just going to go back to bed after all that? Fuck you, Kassandra. Just fuck you."

"You have told me on at least three separate occasions that you wanted to go to bed, all of which I ignored because I had something to say and I didn't consider how you felt. Now I'm taking the step back and you're mad at me for it? What do you want from me Kyra?" Kassandra exclaims as the two of them remain in a stare down.

"Was all you got from me going on that tangent was that you should probably let me go to bed?" Kyra asks in earnest.

"Of course not!" Kassandra defends. "It is just the only thing I can offer you in this exact moment so I thought that was what you wanted" Kassandra admits, not seeing the fault in her logic.

Kyra takes a step back, placing her hands in a pyramid over her mouth as some sort of barrier for her to not just spout her mouth off. She needed to take a second to connect the dots.

Kyra was not used to this as usually who she was with would pick up on the hints she was giving and would adjust accordingly, but Kassandra was unlike all of them. It really did seem that Kassandra took everything more literally. Hell, even her rationale for leaving wasn't wrong and was technically what Kyra was asking for. It was clear that she couldn't just suggest with Kassandra, she needed to spell it out.

Deciding on a completely different approach, Kyra reaches out for Kassandra's hand and pulls her back into the room. "Please, sit."

Kassandra obliges and they sit side by side. Kyra knows she still well within her right to be frustrated by all of this, but being irritable about this won't solve anything and they won't make any progress. She needs to approach this like a battle. Never does she allow herself to go into a situation without multiple strategies so why would her relationship with Kassandra be any different?

It was clear Kassandra had the base understanding of what she was saying, but Kyra's emotional expectations were in direct conflict with Kassandra's logical processing. It would be like her trying to force a square through a circle, it just simply wouldn't work. She would have to be direct in her wants and needs or else there left room for an interpretation such as this.

"Kassandra," Kyra says as she takes Kassandra's hand in her own, "I am going to try something different to help say what I mean as my first attempt did not work."

Kyra turns so that they're facing each other. The hostility between them a moment ago was now long gone and the atmosphere was almost calm if not for the nature of their conversation. 

"How you acted earlier today towards me really hurt my feelings and what you did just a moment ago also hurt me" Kyra explains. "When something is bothering you, I want you to feel comfortable in confiding with me so we can work towards a solution. What I don't appreciate is being kept in the dark and ignored. You hardly spoke to me all day and then when you did tonight, I felt that you acted like nothing was ever amiss. Even if you don't want to talk about it, I need you to at least tell me that so I'm not spending time stressing over what I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Kassandra confesses, "the problem is always me. I don't talk about my feelings and I usually just take any issue I have with someone and ignore it and it goes away. Not with you though. It seems like as much as I try to do what I've always done, you're right there to change up my world. I am comfortable with what I know and being around you changes that."

"I never want to force anything on you, but how you react makes a difference to me" Kyra explains. "Let me ask this, if I were to just stop talking to you, would you be ok with it?"

"Well no, but I would respect your choice for solitude if that's what you wanted" Kassandra answers as truthfully as possible.

"But how would you know that is what I wanted if you didn't ask me?" Kyra inquires and she can see Kassandra's "a-ha" moment as the pieces click together.

"I wouldn't. I wouldn't know" Kassandra admits, realizing Kyra's point.

"That's exactly my point, you wouldn't know. Now picture me in this position on multiple occasions, can you see why it bothered me?" Kyra asks, wanting to ensure Kassandra really got the message.

"I can see how this upset you, yes" Kassandra agrees. "I am sorry for making you feel this way, it was not my intention to hurt you like this. I guess I just didn't realize it bothered you that much."

"All I'm asking is for you to be more transparent with me when something like this happens. You don't have to accept my help if you don't want to, but I just need you to actually tell me you want space. I'm trying to figure you out and I will make mistakes too while I do so, but we can only get better" Kyra says confidently, feeling much better about the both of them. 

She also feels guilty at blowing up on Kassandra like that so while they're being honest, she owes her an apology too. "I also want to apologize for yelling at you about all this. I didn't handle it like I should have."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, it was completely justified as I was being an asshole" Kassandra owns her past actions and Kyra feels them hopping back on the road of progress.

"A massive asshole" Kyra chuckles and Kassandra joins in soon after, the mood significantly lightened.

"I do think, at this time, that you should go back to sleep. We can talk more at a later time" Kassandra clasps her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze, but as she stands, Kyra places her hand on Kassandra leg.

"Since you're already here, why don't you just sleep in here with me?" Kyra suggests, not wanting Kassandra to leave.

"I can't promise I won't react poorly if...you know...that happens again" Kassandra admits sheepishly. "I don't know if you can be safe around me."

"That's foolishness Kassandra," Kyra scoffs, "you're not just a dangerous beast laying dormant until the moon light strikes you just right. Now please, get under the covers as I'm starting to get cold."

Kassandra doesn't protest any further, thankfully, and just slides under the covers as requested. Kyra wastes no time in getting in bed beside her and moving until their bodies were flush together. She can still feel Kassandra's hesitation, but she's not having any of that nonsense anymore. Kassandra should not be afraid to relax around her for a fear of losing control, it's just not a proper way to live.

Kyra snuggles up against her and pulls Kassandra's arm over her waist to encourage Kassandra to hold her. Kassandra takes the hint and Kyra smiles into Kassandra's chest as they lay in silence. Kyra was ready to fall asleep at any moment, but if she did, she couldn't guarantee that Kassandra would still be here when she woke up.

"Promise me something" Kyra asks, wanting an assurance that Kassandra wouldn't withdraw again.

"What's that?" Kassandra answers.

"Promise me you won't leave" Kyra requests was meant to come out sounding natural, but as she speaks the words she allows her true feelings to peek through. A small sense of fear.

"I-" Kassandra begins to speak, but cuts herself off. 

Kyra realizes her request could be taken rather broadly and that that's the probable reason for Kassandra's hesitation so she quickly elaborates to not allow any confusion or overthinking.

"I mean tonight or any night, when we sleep, I don't want you to leave after I fall asleep. Promise me you'll stay?" Kyra waits as Kassandra stills to take in her request. She did not think it outlandish, but perhaps she was asking too much.

Her doubts do not last long as Kassandra gives her a small squeeze before she speaks. "Ok, I promise I won't go anywhere."

"Thank you Kassandra, thank you" and with that confirmation, Kyra pulls herself up Kassandra's body and offers her a kiss.

It is a kiss that screams out her love for this woman. That even after a fight, they can still come to an agreement and work together. Kyra never wants to go to bed angry, especially not with Kassandra as the cause, and this kiss that they are sharing right now puts all that prior anger to bed. All is right in this very moment and that's all that matters.

Kyra wants more, but now isn't the time and she truly is tired from the day she'd had so sleep was the best course of action. As she curls back into Kassandra's warmth, her eyes begin to feel heavy and she knows sleep is not long away for her now. She is about to succumb to the much needed slumber when Kassandra's voice echoes in the room.

"Kyra, there's something I should tell you" Kassandra's speaks, her voice deep and serious.

"You can tell me anything" Kyra responds as she traces circles onto Kassandra's stomach, willing her body to not fall asleep just yet.

Kyra waits for Kassandra to speak, but nothing comes. Kyra would usually pry more, but she was just too exhausted now to dig any deeper.

"Never mind, forget I said anything" Kassandra dismisses her earlier statement and pulls Kyra tighter into her own body. "Good night Kyra."

"Night, Kassandra" Kyra offers in return as she closes her eyes and drifts into a slumber so peaceful that her dreams are ones of a happiness.

Their journey would not be easy, but nothing worth having in life usually is. As long as they tried to grow and better themselves, there was nothing the world could throw their way that they couldn't tackle together. Tonight had been a massive breakthrough with their communication and that was a victory worth noting above all else. 

Kyra wakes the next day feeling refreshed as she stretches to loosen the muscles kinked up with sleep. It wasn't until she settled back down into the bed that she realized why she was so comfortable. Kassandra had stayed like she promised and was laying down next to her, sleeping still. 

Kyra took the opportunity to look closely at her features and Kassandra's face seemed calm, almost peaceful. Kyra cannot recall a time where Kassandra looked at ease and she wishes she had a way to capture this moment forever, but she will just have to do her damndest to make sure this happened more often.

As much as Kyra wanted to soak in these precious moments, she knew Kassandra had an agenda she wanted to keep to.

"Kassandra, wake up," Kyra whispers softly into her ear, "it's morning."

Kassandra stirs, but she doesn't appear to want to wake up as she just pulls Kyra closer to her and snuggles into her chest.

"You're cute," Kyra chuckles as she runs her fingers through Kassandra's hair, "but you really should wake up as I know you had things you wanted to do today."

Kassandra mumbles something incoherent into her chest, making it clear she didn't want to move, so Kyra knows she'll have to play a little dirty to coax Kassandra out of bed.

Kyra places a kiss on the top of Kassandra's head at first before she trails her kisses to her tip of her forehead, continuing to her temple.

She can feel Kassandra moving a bit more because of this so she scoots herself down a bit further so she can continue her trail.

She ghosts her lips down Kassandra's cheek to the bottom of her jaw where she decides to apply a little pressure and gently bites.

She can feel Kassandra getting more active as Kassandra's hands begin to wander down Kyra's body until the stop firmly on her bottom. Before Kyra knows it, Kassandra flips her over so that she's on her back and a now alert Kassandra hovers above her.

"Good," Kyra hums as Kassandra moves forward to capture her neck in a kiss, "now this means your awake and we can get dressed."

Kassandra pulls back from her neck to move to her lips, an urgency building with each kiss.

Kyra's willpower cannot resist Kassandra for long so she needed to get them out of bed before this went any further. "Get up and get dressed before we miss him."

"Getting dressed," Kassandra mutters between kisses, "is the opposite," as she trails more kisses down Kyra's jawline, "of what I want here."

"If you don't get up right this instance, I will say his name each time I wish to say yours" Kyra challenges and it works as Kassandra pulls away immediately and scowls at her.

"You wouldn't dare" Kassandra challenges back.

"Try me" Kyra retorts, knowing that she had won.

"You don't play fair" Kassandra huffs as she throws herself to her side of the bed in protest.

"I don't, but it worked so I fail to see a problem here" Kyra gloats as she rolls out of bed and begins to get ready. "Besides, you'll thank me later."

Kyra walks over to where her peplos was and busied herself with getting ready when she feels Kassandra's arms snake around her exposed midsection.

Kassandra leans forward and places her chin on Kyra's shoulder and whispers something that makes Kyra shiver with anticipation. "Oh I'll do more than just that to you later, I promise."

Kassandra pecks her on the cheek before she goes to place her armor on and Kyra's blush from Kassandra's words make her feel as if her face is on fire. Seems that Kassandra was willing to match Kyra's teasing and she was finding herself eager to find the day over already.

Even with all the distractions they had this morning (Kyra surely wasn't complaining), they managed to get a nice start to the day. Kassandra had assured her that this would be easier than the last time and she had asked if Kyra wanted to take the lead on this one. 

She did, of course, as she longed to show Kassandra how capable she was and this would be the perfect opportunity to show her that her trust was well placed. The only thing that she needed to do now was figure out who this man was. Neither of them had any idea, but Kyra had a way in making men talk.

Kyra preferred a more diplomatic approach, but she also knew that she was a beautiful woman and that in itself could do more than words alone.

Kyra spun a story to the unsuspecting locals as Kassandra kept back to watch her work. They all bought her story and Kyra was able to ascertain that he was a banker and would be found in the marketplace at this hour.

She needed to use her instincts to find this man as if she advertised who she was looking for now, the wrong person could find out and he'd disappear before they knew it.

Taking a step back, leaning against the median wall, she searches for anyone who may fit the role of a banker. They made decent money so the clothing would be of a fine material and with more color than the average man could afford. He also would likely have a confident posture as a man of his status would.

Kyra narrows it down to two possible men as they both fit the mold, but one stands out more than the other. He is wearing a two tone chiton which is not abnormal, but what strikes her are his color choices. Red and blue, harmless to the unsuspecting eye, but to Kyra it was a sign of false neutrality. Athens wore blue and Sparta wore red respectively and by all accounts this could be taken at a protest to both, but Kyra knew better. The blue was dark enough to not be confused with the lightness of the Athenian blue and the red was darker than the red that Sparta wore. A calculated move, but it was ultimately what gave him away.

The man was not far from her and he doesn't appear to be armed, but he still could be very dangerous so she'll approach him with caution.

"Beautiful day, isn't it gentlemen?" Kyra starts the conversation with something unthreatening until she can get confirmation that he is their target.

"Indeed it is miss" The man behind the desk says in response. "I'll just be a moment as I need to finish up with this man here."

He motions to Kyra's mystery man and she offers him a kind nod as she takes her place behind him.

"Elias, I do not wish to do this to you, but you must know what sort of a bind this puts me in" the man she believes is Midas speaks to the shopkeeper. "I cannot be seen to show favoritism."

"I understand, but I just need some more time, I beg of you" Elias pleads. "Business has been slow, but I almost have all of it. I just need a few more days."

"You do not have a few more days as today was your second deadline and you've failed to meet that" The man in front of her harshly whispers as to not allow her to overhear, but she's always had exceptional hearing and can make out every word.

"Excuse me gentlemen," Kyra interrupts with a new plan, "I couldn't help but overhear your predicament and I think I could be of some assistance."

The two toned man looks to her with skepticism and an arched brow. "And what do you think you can do miss...?"

"Leda, call me Leda please" Kyra offers her hand with her false name.

"Well miss Leda, I fail to see how you can help in this situation so why don't you leave this to the men to discuss?" The man snidely comments and Kyra just smiles in return.

"You need drachmae from this man, no?" Kyra points out as she moves so that she's now standing beside her target. "I have drachmae and I am a businesswoman myself so why don't you and I take a walk and talk?"

Elias looks stunned (and rightly so), but Kyra doesn't shift her focus from the man next to her. She also takes this opportunity to pull out her hefty coin pouch and gave it a small jingle to sweeten the deal.

"You are a lucky man Elias" the man comments to the shopkeeper. "Fine, follow me back to my office and we can talk terms."

"Of course, please lead the way" Kyra motions for him to take the lead and the two of them go for a small walk towards the bank.

Kyra takes in her surroundings and with the exception of a small window, it is quite secluded. It will be the perfect place for her to extract extra information.

"How much does Elias owe? May I see the contract?" Kyra inquires.

"Well, you see, it was more of a verbal agreement he had with us" the man says as he sits down behind his desk.

"I've never know of a bank to not use something in writing" Kyra points out.

"These were extenuating circumstances" he offers as an explanation.

It was clear this entire ordeal was shady, but she needed to get his guard fully down before she would be able to gain his trust.

"Ah," Kyra says, "I see. Well, as a woman who has done similar things for select individuals, you must've had your reasons."

"I'm glad you understand" he smiles and it screams of deceit, but Kyra knew what she was doing.

"Before I agree to pay this unnamed sum, I always make it a point to know who I am doing business with" Kyra eyes him over to see if he's become nervous, but his demeanor remains relaxed which means her plan is working.

"Midas," he offers, "and the amount remaining is a fifteen hundred drachmae."

Jackpot. 

This was her man after all so her hunch was correct, maybe she should have chosen to do this kind of work instead.

"Deal" Kyra agrees and she shakes Midas' hand and hands over her drachmae. "I was also hoping we could discuss some business ourselves as I am a very wealthy woman who knows a smart man when she sees one."

He unlocks one of his drawers and places the pouch in his desk, making sure to lock it back up.

"I also would like an assurance that he will not be disturbed over this further" Kyra requests and Midas gets up to call another bank employee over and Kyra can hear him advise that Elias was to be bothered no further and that he was not to be disturbed for any reason for the next half hour.

Midas returns to his seat and Kyra knows there's no better time to strike.

"You said you had business you'd like to discuss" Midas mentions as he leans back in his chair.

"I do and you're just the man I've been looking for Midas" Kyra says as she leans forward onto his desk so that she's leaning on her elbows. "My business is information and I know that you have something that I want and I would be willing to pay handsomely for it."

"I see," Midas states, "what information is it that you believe I have?"

"A mutual friend of ours, Sotera, pointed me in your direction as I'm looking for a woman and she seemed to think you'd be able to tell me what I need to know. I am looking for The Shadow, I've heard she also go by Nyx for the present moment" Kyra shares and watches his body language.

She can see him make subtle changes and this confirms to her that he knows at least a shred of information on this woman. His breathing has picked up and he's begun to blink at a much faster pace.

"Nyx was it?" Midas asks, clearly playing dumb. "I'm afraid I've never heard of her before so I'm sorry to say you've wasted your time."

Kyra knows this to be a blatant lie so it's now time to change tactics. "Now Midas, lying doesn't become you. You see, I already know that you know her by how you responded when I said her name. I believe you've taken me as a fool and you'd be smart to not do so again."

Kyra glares intensely at as she stands up. "I will ask you nicely once more and I would consider your next words very carefully. Where is Nyx?"

"You don't scare me" Midas snaps, his posture changing into a defensive stance as he rises to face her.

Kyra tilts her head to the side and smiles. She begins tracing a pattern on his desk with her left hand so that he's distracted from where she lowers the blade she's kept in her right hand.

His left hand is also on his desk so before he can make another move, Kyra stabs the blade through his hand, pinning it to the desk.

She quickly moves herself behind him where she covers his mouth as he let's out a pained scream, placing his right hand on the table to steady himself.

Once he quiets down, Kyra gets the blade in her left sleeve and slams it into his right hand. Again, she covers his mouth as he is effectively pinned in place as the only way these are coming out is if she removes them.

"You've been quite rude to me since we've met," Kyra growls in his ear, "so the first one was just for me because you're an ass, but the second one is for you being a lying sack of shit. Now, you're going to take a seat and we're going to have a chat and if you even think of yelling for help, do know that I will slit your throat before you get out the first word."

Midas nods vigorously that he agrees so Kyra removes her hold over his mouth and takes her place sitting on the corner of his desk.

"Where is Nyx?" Kyra demands.

"She's always moving so I don't know where, I swear!" Midas answers, but Kyra isn't done with him just yet.

"Where does she frequent?" Kyra interrogates as she grabs the handle of one of the blades and slowly turns it.

Midas throws his head down in pain, but he remains quiet as promised.

"The theater! There or the Parthenon were the only places I knew of her to frequent. Please, just let me go" Midas begs in almost a sob.

"I'm afraid I can't do that" Kyra says softly as she grabs his hair, exposing his neck. "This cult of yours will be stopped at all costs, mark my words. Your chokehold of all these innocent people will come to an end and it will be by my hands, starting with you.

Kyra lifts up her leg and pulls out another blade she kept in her boot and looks down at this pathetic excuse for a man. She could make him suffer by slicing an artery or she could be swift by piercing his heart. Decisions, decisions.

Having made up her mind, she sends her blade through his heart and feels his body go limp. She wipes off her blade on his clothes before returning it back to her boot. She does the same routine with the other blades and puts them back in her sleeves.

Kyra pushes his back so he's sprawled back in his chair and she grabs the key on his belt loop and unlocks the drawer. She withdraws her pouch along with the other seven that were along side it. He won't need this where he's going and it each pouch is hefty so she and Kassandra won't have to worry about much for a long time.

She closes the drawer and exits the office, taking care to make sure no prying eyes caught wind before she could make her exit.

She walks with a confidence and nobody seems to pay her any mind so she walks out the door with no issue and takes off. She's not sure where she's walking to, but she knows Kassandra will find her soon enough so she just focuses on placing some distance between them.

After walking for about five minutes, she senses a presence beside her and notices Kassandra keeping pace next to her.

"Is it taken care of?" Kassandra inquires.

"It is" Kyra responds vaguely, knowing this wasn't the time nor the place to talk.

"That's my girl" Kassandra beams as she places her arm around Kyra's shoulders. "I'm proud of you."

Kyra could not suppress her smile as she looks at Kassandra and sees a look of adoration pointed her direction. Her heart swoons as all she's wanted was Kassandra's acceptance and to prove that she could handle whatever Kassandra threw her way and she's finally gotten it. The look on Kassandra's face now also tells her that it's not the only thing she's going to get tonight and she cannot wait until they have a moment alone.

Life was good.


	17. Gasoline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another milestone hit with this chapter as it's now officially the longest one I've ever written at 12.7k! I found there was much I still wanted to have happen before I kicked this up a notch so I took the liberty of making this longer than usual. Not sure if I'll be able to have every chapter from now on at this length, but I always try to do my best to give you all the best detail possible.
> 
> All locations mentioned are accurate to the game and I also introduce another very important person to Kassandra in this chapter so I hope you all like the interactions there.
> 
> I will warn that there are some game spoilers towards the end as I talk about the cult so if you've not gotten that far in the game, I'd proceed with caution. I've also changed it a smidge from how it plays out in the game so the events are exactly the same, I just altered their order of their occurrence. I'll post a more descriptive note at the end to cover this.
> 
> Happy reading all!
> 
> Karmin - Gasoline  
> https://youtu.be/S2T7wTKQYbs

To say Kassandra was proud was an understatement. Here was a woman who had basically transformed her entire life on a whim, almost overnight even. Kyra went from formal meetings with the aristocrats to slumming it with her, sleeping on the ground most nights. There wasn't a woman in the world who could do what Kyra has done and, to top it off, she hasn't even complained once.

Sure, they may argue, but it was never about their conditions. Kyra wouldn't even admit to being cold, yet alone complain about sleeping on yet another slab of rock. Every backache, every stiffness in her body was taken with determination and grit. Not to mention that fact that she still performed to the highest standard when the situation called for it. 

She was one incredible woman.

They were laying across from each other, both needing to rest after their "festivities" concluded for the time being. Kyra was certainly putting Kassandra's stamina to the test, but she was not complaining at all, however, even someone as mighty as she was needed rest now and again.

Kyra appeared to be sleeping and Kassandra took this opportunity to take her in. How someone can look like this is beyond her. Kyra, even looking as disheveled as she did now, was still the epitome of perfection. Her skin glowed and the small smile that graced her face was radiant. How did she ever get so lucky?

"You're staring at me again" Kyra states, her eyes closed.

"How do you even know that? You can't even see" Kassandra defends, although she may have definitely been staring. 

"I can feel your gaze" Kyra answers as she continues to keep her eyes closed.

"That's some sort of sorcery. Are you a witch?" Kassandra accuses playfully.

"If I was, I wouldn't talk" Kyra says as she relents and opens her eyes and makes a zipper motion across her lips. 

"Oh, not talking are we?" Kassandra says with a mischievous grin. "We'll have to see about that."

Kassandra lurches forward and begins to tickle Kyra relentlessly. Kassandra laughs as Kyra tries to wiggle her way free, but Kassandra has her effectively pinned beneath her.

"Kassandra" Kyra laughs as she tries to free herself, "stop, please, I beg you!"

"Will you tell me all your witchy secrets?" Kassandra inquires, not relenting just quite yes.

"Gods yes! Just stop, I yield" Kyra pleads so Kassandra halts her movements.

Out of breath, Kyra smacks Kassandra on the arm. "You play dirty, you know that?"

Kassandra chuckles as she rolls off Kyra to her side of the bed, landing on her back. She tilts her head to look Kyra's direction and a smile forms. "It may be dirty, but it is effective. Now, I believe you owe me some secrets."

Kyra props herself up on her arm so she can better face Kassandra. "Will you settle for details of today's undertakings instead?"

Kassandra brings up a hand and motions like she's stroking some imaginary beard. "I suppose that will do, but I expect it to be tantalizing to make up for its lack of witch content."

"You are really hung up on that, aren't you?" Kyra questions, getting amusement from Kassandra's antics.

"It is a valid thing alright? But, jokes aside, tell me everything in detail" Kassandra requests as they lounge in their bed, having forgone anything else but each other for the rest of the day.

Kyra recites to her every minute detail of her encounter and the events that led up to it and she was even more impressed than she thought possible.

Kyra had taken a completely different approach than anything Kassandra would've considered, but she got her results just the same and she netted them a hefty sum of drachmae too in the process. Perhaps there was more to a diplomatic approach than she imagined, but she would leave that to Kyra. Her way has worked for this long that there's no use in fixing what isn't broken, but for Kyra, this seems to be her specialty. 

This would be of great use once she got them back to Sparta as she had information she's not shared with a soul where discretion would be of immense importance. Kassandra had a source about the cult in high places back home and she did not wish to vocalize it for fear of repercussions for her mater, but she would need to tell Kyra as she just could be the key to proving it.

Kassandra had finally found her mater after all these years and it was like a part of her became whole again. She'd never before felt such a way and it was indescribable at how it made her feel. The two of them wasted no time catching up on all that had happened to them over their lives and, as it turns out, they were working for a similar goal with the extermination of the cult.

Kassandra had traveled back to Sparta with her mater and she proved her loyalty for a home that has never truly been hers. She had aided Sparta in Boeotia and won them the Olympics in Elis as well, she had more than shown her true love for Sparta (although she may never understand why). She had fought tooth and nail to earn back her home and she did for herself, but mostly for her mater to have her home back.

Her mater had left Naxos and returned home after their exile was overturned and was rebuilding the life she had missed out on. Kassandra had stopped by only once since then as it still just didn't feel like home to her yet, but she wasn't sure what was missing. Perhaps it was Alexios' absence or something larger, but either way, it was her birth right and being Spartan was in her blood so she was duty bound.

Kassandra hears a snap of fingers and only then does she realize she's gone silent. She had heard every word Kyra said, but she must've gotten lost in her own thoughts.

"Kassandra, are you alright?" Kyra asks with concern. "You just zoned out on me for a bit."

Kassandra blinks a few times to try to focus. "Sorry about that, I just was thinking about some things and I lost track of myself."

Kyra doesn't press for more information as Kassandra knows Kyra's seen this look upon her before. Every time she would ask, Kassandra would refuse so she must have gotten to the point where she was saving herself the rejection. Unlike every time before though, she was going to let Kyra in.

"I was thinking of my mater" Kassandra speaks softly while glancing back to Kyra.

The look of surprise was evident on Kyra's face as she had already resounded herself to being kept in the dark, but when Kassandra spoke, it was as if a veil lifted.

"I was reminiscing about how she and I reunited" Kassandra says as she moves to sit up as this was not a conversation she wanted to have laying down.

Kyra follows suit and they both sit on the bed with their legs crossed, but still touching. Kassandra was not ready to admit it out loud, but she grew to find a solacing comfort in Kyra's touch. She found herself walking closer just to be nearer and making sure they were touching whenever possible. She finds she doesn't even have to consciously think about it anymore and it has just turned into a second nature.

"Kassandra," Kyra speaks so tenderly as she places her hand on Kassandra's leg, "you know you don't have to tell me anything you're not ready to."

Even now Kyra was offering her an out, an opportunity to save herself and keep her life locked away from the rest of the world. Kassandra didn't need it though, not anymore, as Kyra wasn't the rest of the world. She deserved to know her past.

"You deserve to know and I trust you" Kassandra says in earnest as she places her hand on top of Kyra's. "You've been so patient with me that I think it is high time that I thanked you for it."

"I hope you don't think you're obligated to do this because that is not at all what this was" Kyra adamantly states, thinking Kassandra was doing this out of a sense of duty.

"No! Of course not" Kassandra vehemently denies. "I'm going to tell you this because I want to, not because I think I have to. I promise."

"I'm sorry," Kyra apologizes, "I shouldn't have jumped there so quickly."

"You've got nothing to apologize for" Kassandra assures with a comforting smile.

Kassandra animatedly tells her tale of how she came upon her mater's whereabouts, finding her on Naxos, them both returning to Sparta, and Kassandra's tasks.

"Hold on, hold on" Kyra says as she holds up her hand. "You're telling me that you literally won the entire Olympics for Sparta? Are you serious?!"

"Well yeah," Kassandra shrugs, "it wasn't very hard."

Kyra looks exacerbatedly at her. "Of course you of all people would find something so challenging that easy. People train their entire lives for the opportunity and you just come in and single handedly crush their dreams."

"It sounds awful when you put it like that" Kassandra responds.

"I still cannot believe that you got a kotinos! Why have I never seen it?" Kyra questions.

"I gave it over to King Pausanias as proof of my victory so I could regain my mater back her home that she left long ago. I had to prove myself loyal to Sparta so parting with it was not difficult. Besides, I could always just go back and win another one" Kassandra winks and Kyra rolls her eyes at the very on character answer.

"So not only did you just casually win the Olympics, but you also won a battle for Sparta in Boeotia? Is there anything you can't do?" Kyra asks it rhetorically, but Kassandra decides to answer anyway.

"Nope, there's not anything yet that I've come across that I cannot do" Kassandra gloats and earns herself another eye roll.

"Humility probably" Kyra pokes fun and they both laugh, enjoying the banter.

"I have done and seen many things Kyra, and while our ultimate goal is to wipeout the cult, I do also hope that I can share some places that mean something to me" Kassandra says the words as an unspoken wish with the hope that Kyra would want this too.

"I would love that Kassandra," Kyra beams, "more than you know."

The rest of the day and night passes by in a blur as they spend it lazing about, doing nothing in particular. Between languid kisses, sexual exploration and sleep, Kassandra is feeling fully satiated for the first time ever. Everything feels so very right and it is a sensation she wishes she could bottle for later as this was a miracle cure. 

They awake feeling completely spent, but neither of them care too much. It was well worth the soreness and sleep deprivation and Kassandra would do it all again in a heartbeat. Kyra breathed a new life into her and she was the drug she never knew she needed. Kyra was an addiction she never wanted a cure for.

The travel to Sparta would be long, but Kassandra knew it would be worth it. A part of her wanted to tell Kyra where they were going, but the idea of it all being a surprise excited her more. To have Kyra in Sparta would be a welcomed improvement and, as a bonus, she'd also get to meet her mater.

That idea filled Kassandra with anxiety and excitement all at once as she really wanted her mom to love Kyra and vice versa. Kassandra didn't know that much of her mater, but she still longed for approval now that they were in each others lives once more and if Kyra didn't like her mater....she didn't even want to think about it. It was all going to be great and everyone would get along. Of course this was not the reason why she's bringing the two of them together, but it was surely a bonus.

Their journey stretches over vast lands untouched by man with only a sparse few farms along the paths, but Kyra doesn't seem to mind. She takes in everything as if it were covered in gold and her excitement of exploring never seems to dull. Kassandra used to be like this for a while, but once she became a misthios, her love for travel seemed to wane. It wasn't that she didn't love finding new places, but her passion to get there were something of the past. With any luck, Kyra's infectious nature will revive what was once a love for Kassandra. For now she will take joy in the animated commentary Kyra was providing as they inched closer to their destination.

Kassandra still allowed for the occasional detour as any large settlement would either be on the coast or deeper in and they were heading almost exactly between the both of them. Arkadia was sparsely populated as it was predominantly just nature, but there was Tegea and Smuggler's Cove that could be worth their time. Kassandra made sure they stopped to see them both and she's glad she did, Kyra's face lit up at the new cities and that made the entire trip worth it. Arkadia reminded her a lot of Lakonia, as there were few points of interest but what was there was a vision. She didn't want to get too far off course, but she also didn't want to deprive Kyra of anything.

Kassandra allowed them a day of roaming as Tegea and Smuggler's Cove were to their left and right and choosing only one didn't seem very fair. Thankfully there was an abandoned hunting camp they could stay at and Kassandra tried her best to not allow a repeat of what happened the last time. Kyra didn't seem to mind the incident and had moved on as they laid down for the night, but Kassandra did and she couldn't get her mind to stop. It still haunted her that she was able to do that to Kyra, her body had a mind of it's own it seemed.

"Kassandra, go to sleep" Kyra groggily says as she scoots further towards Kassandra.

"How did you know I wasn't sleeping?" Kassandra asks, baffled by yet another accurate call.

"I'm a witch, remember?" Kyra points out matter of factly. "But really, I can practically feel you overthinking. Go to bed."

"What if it happens again? What if I hurt you this time?" Kassandra voices her fear, concerned that she could lash out again.

"Hey, look at me" Kyra whispers as she feels Kyra's hand cupping her face.

Kassandra allows herself to be moved and she sees nothing but support on Kyra's face as she gentle strokes her cheek.

"I am not afraid of you" Kyra states without a hint of hesitation. "I believe I know what the problem was so if it happens again I know what not to do."

"How do you know?" Kassandra asks in an attempt to quell her doubts.

"I startled you when you were in a bad place and your body reacted to protect you" Kyra explains. "My theory is that if I'm already touching you, that you'll be used to my presence and I can wake you without alarm, but if we're not touching that I should only try to talk to you and not make any move to jostle you."

The way Kyra explains this makes sense in a way as she was always used to sleeping with her guard up in case of an attack so there was a good chance what Kyra was saying was correct. She's never had a constant presence like this before so her body wasn't used to being touched when it wasn't in some sort of a conflict. Clearly Kyra gave this serious thought too and Kassandra was grateful.

"That makes sense" Kassandra agrees, remembering she's yet to comment on Kyra's theory.

"There's nothing for you to worry about," Kyra assures, "which means you can get some sleep. Ok?"

"Yeah, ok" Kassandra agrees as she settles back down. "Thank you Kyra."

"Don't mention it" Kyra responds as she places her head on Kassandra's chest as they both fall asleep without any further incidents.

Kassandra wakes feeling more refreshed than she has in quite some time and she credits Kyra for it. Her smart thinking allowed Kassandra's mind to ease and it allowed her body to relax more knowing that Kyra was safe in her presence.

The two of them ate a small breakfast as Kassandra was eager to get back on the road as they were only a two day ride from their destination. She wanted to show Kyra Lake Poseidon as it had the most gorgeous view of Sparta from the hilltop. She will need to send Ikaros ahead to her mater and advise her of their arrival so she has time to prepare. 

"Before we go," Kassandra says as they pack up their gear, "I must send a letter out with Ikaros."

Kyra hands her a papyrus from her satchel and Kassandra writes to her mater.

Mater,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you are in good spirits. Myself and a guest will be arriving in Sparta in two days time and I had wished that we could stay at your home for the duration of our stay. I will tell you more when we see one another in person.

If there is any concern about the housing, please send a response back with Ikaros and I can find alternative arrangements.

Kassandra."

Kassandra rolls up the letter and tasks Ikaros with its delivery. Not once has he ever failed her so this will be no different.

They could have made the trek in only a day, but she wanted to allow her mater the time to respond if they could not stay at home so the lake was the perfect excuse to have the delay.

Kassandra has Phobos go nice and slow and if Kyra minded the change of pace, she did not make it known. The closer they got to Sparta, the harder it would be to keep where they were a secret as the banners would be everywhere imaginable. The good news was that Kyra did not know the region nor the direction they were traveling in so she could hold onto the mystery for a while longer.

Kassandra knew they had arrived in Lakonia once she sighted the Sanctuary of Achilles. She usually just passed by it so Kyra could get a glimpse, but she wanted to have this place mean something to her which meant that Kyra needed to be able to explore.

Kassandra pulls Phobos up to a stop at the base where there were a few Spartan soldiers on watch.

"What's this?" Kyra questions as she dismounts and they walk up the steps. "A small temple?"

"Basically, it's for Achilles and I know he's important somehow but I'm not sure why" Kassandra admits as the two stand before his statue.

"Something the mighty Kassandra didn't know? I am shocked" Kyra teases as she nudges into Kassandra.

"Oh ha, ha," Kassandra sarcastically responds, "you're real funny."

"I am," Kyra confidently responds, "and I'm glad you finally noticed."

Kassandra can only shake her head at Kyra's playful antics, but she secretly enjoyed every moment of them. Not too long ago they'd be at each other's throats by now and any attempt at lighthearted humor would've fallen flat. Now it was as if they were children with their bickering, but it all was in good fun.

"You keep that up and I'll make you walk the rest of the way" Kassandra threatens, knowing she'd never go through with it.

"That would mean you'd have to tell me where we are and where we're going" Kyra responds, poking a hole in Kassandra's obliviously false threat.

"Funny and smart. The total package" Kassandra quips back and gives her a wink.

"How I'm not married already is the mystery of the century. What person wouldn't want this? I clearly have it all" Kyra jokes, but Kassandra senses something deeper.

They had not talked about the nature of their relationship so Kassandra has no idea how she is supposed to respond. It's her fault they've not had the conversation as Kassandra had never wanted this to become anything but casual, but at this point, even she can see there's nothing casual about this. Kassandra hasn't even considered another woman while she's in Kyra's presence and she's no longer sure she'd think of anyone else even if Kyra was around. Kyra had worked her way under her skin and there's no coming back from that.

They would need to have a conversation about this eventually, but Kassandra didn't see the rush in massing with what they had. 

Kassandra opts to indulge Kyra's statement, but shifts it slightly as they've never discussed their future plans with one another. "Do you ever see yourself getting married?

Kyra doesn't answer right away as she's clearly giving it much thought by the way she holds her hand to her face. As they spent more time together, Kassandra had begun to pick up some small habits. The one she is doing now is reserved for deep thoughts as she places her pointer finger over her top lip while her thumb cradles her chin. Another is when she's irritated and she flicks those same fingers together by her side over and over. Kassandra never realizes how much she pays attention until now as several more little quirks of Kyra pops into her head.

"I used to want it," Kyra shares, "but I am not so sure anymore."

"What changed?" Kassandra asks, genuinely curious

Kyra's eyes look towards her and there was a sadness to them that wasn't there before, but it's gone as soon as it comes when Kyra answers her.

"I suppose I realized that it just wasn't for me anymore and that I grew out of it" Kyra answers, but Kassandra can tell something is off about her answer, but she will let it go as she doesn't want to pry.

Kyra asks her the same question and Kassandra can only laugh at the thought. "Have you not seen what I do for a living? I am the furthest thing from marriage potential."

"The question wasn't if you met the qualifications," Kyra corrects as she hops on Phobos, "it was if it was something you wanted to do."

"Absolutely not" Kassandra answers without hesitation as she sets off towards the lake. "It just exudes domesticity and I will not be some wife who just stays at home and has children. What a waste of my potential to burden me with such a feat."

Kyra didn't appear to be surprised by her answer, but it did seem as if Kassandra's answer created an additional question for Kyra.

"Does that mean you don't want to have children?" Kyra inquires.

"I mean, probably not" Kassandra responds, less sure this time than her answer before. "I don't live a life where I can settle and I also have no desire to sleep with a man so that cancels out all possibilities of it happening. What about you?"

Kassandra didn't expect this turn of conversation, but she did ask the first question about marriage so it only made sense that kids were going to be on the table at some point. It is definitely the first time she's ever had this discussion with anyone, yet alone a lover, but she still is interested in what Kyra responds with. 

"I would love children someday" Kyra answers. "I think they are a wonderful show of two people who love each other."

Kassandra can hear the joy in her voice as she talks about wanting children and Kassandra smiles for her, even though she can't see it, but it also disappoints her as it is not something she could ever give her. Kassandra now fully regrets talking about this because now it all sets in that they both want very different things. It was one thing to just not know, but it is another to ignore it once you know the truth, but she will for now as she doesn't want to deal with the outcome.

Kassandra doesn't respond to Kyra, she's not sure how she should so instead she allows the conversation to die. It all got too heavy too fast and Kassandra didn't want to get on the defensive. Kyra didn't deserve to have her at anything less than her best and that meant keeping silent. She didn't want to say anything she regretted or worse, something that would tear them apart. Besides, it's not like either of them were having children anytime soon anyway so this would be a problem for future Kassandra. Present Kassandra would pretend the conversation never happened and just go with the flow.

The ride took longer than Kassandra wanted, all in part to the silence, but she would make up for it soon.

She views the tall mountain in the distance as she takes Phobos off the path, up a shortcut.

"Our stopping point for today is just up these rocks" Kassandra says as she points upwards. 

"That is so high up for a lake" Kyra points out and she's not wrong.

"It has a dual purpose" Kassandra shrugs as she really doesn't know why the set up as it is. All she knows is that it's a pretty cool concept. "I'll show you once we climb up."

"I'm sorry," Kyra interjects, "but did you say climb?"

"Oh, yeah, right" Kassandra says as she rubs the back of her neck. "I forgot to mention that there would be some physical exertion involved. It's not a lot, promise."

"I don't know how well I'll scale it as it looks likes there's no slant to it. Did you forget I can't just magically attach myself to smooth surfaces?" Kyra questions.

"What happened to you being a witch?" Kassandra prods. "I thought you could fly?"

"That's just an urban myth that started as propaganda" Kyra speaks as if it were fact.

Kassandra narrows her eyes at Kyra's statement to get a read on her. She would've believed it as fact with how confidently and rapidly Kyra answered, but she knew better.

"You're messing with me, aren't you?" Kassandra accuses as she walks towards the easiest path up for Kyra.

"I can't help it," Kyra confesses, "you just make it so easy."

"You keep that up and I won't show you something really cool" Kassandra tosses out the empty threat and gets an eye roll as a response. 

Kassandra watches as Kyra takes in the steepness and gives a small nod, more to herself than anything. "Fine, but I get to complain the entire time and for ten minutes after, twenty if I cut my hand on a rock."

"Deal" Kassandra quickly responds before she decides to have some fun herself. 

"Race you to the top!" Kassandra shouts after giving Kyra a large enough head start.

Kassandra wastes no time and within a few seconds, she'll right behind Kyra.

"You're a cheater!" Kyra argues as she tries to speed up to keep her lead, but almost loses her grip in the process.

"I know I'm a vision, but try not to fall for me" Kassandra flirts and she can hear Kyra's groan at her awful line.

"I don't know what hurts most," Kyra comments as she regains her grip, "these rocks or that line."

"Probably the rocks" Kassandra teases as she moves so they're almost side by side. "You know, if you say please I may just let you win."

"I would rather lose, but I don't think that will be an issue as something is coming towards your horse" Kyra states and Kassandra immediately turns to look as she works on getting back down to the ground.

Before she has time to draw her spear, Kyra shouts from above her. "False alarm, must've been the wind or something."

"You dare drag Phobos into your cheating ways? Have you no shame?" Kassandra scolds as she was genuinely concerned for her faithful steed.

"None whatsoever" Kyra shrugs as she's now almost to the top.

Kassandra won't be bested that easily and she leaps to get the highest placement possible before she scales like she's never done before. Kassandra always paced herself, but her urge to win kicks in and she holds nothing back.

Within no time, she pulls herself to the top in victory, but she is not about to make it a humble one. 

Kassandra goes and crouches down, looking over the ledge as Kyra reaches her hands up for the final stretch.

"What took you so long? I've been waiting hours" Kassandra exaggerates, much to Kyra's dismay.

Kyra looks up at her, clearly surprised to see her standing above her. "How did you...?" Kyra trails off as Kassandra interrupts.

"I used my magical broom" Kassandra teases as she extends a hand to aid Kyra in the final push.

Kyra begrudgingly accepts it and Kassandra easily pulls her up the rest of the way. It made victory all the more sweeter that Kyra was stewing in it. That'll show her for trying to pull a fast one.

Kassandra pulled a little bit harder than she should have though as the momentum of Kyra forced them both backwards. Kyra lands gracefully on top of Kassandra, effectively knocking the wind out of her.

"You're still on top of me" Kassandra comments, making no move to free herself of the situation.

"I've never heard you complaining before..." Kyra teases as she hovers her lips right over Kassandra's own.

The temptation and allure is palpable and there's nothing stopping her from taking Kyra right here and now. They were away from prying eyes and it was highly unlikely that anyone would even consider disturbing them. It was the perfect setting, but alas, Kassandra still wanted to wait for the time being as she was expecting Ikaros to return any moment now. She could just indulge a little bit before she's interrupted though...no, no, she didn't want to start anything she couldn't finish.

Kassandra knows her body is betraying her in this decision of hers, but she had to put forth a good faith effort. Kyra's eyes were dark with lust and desire and Kassandra's not sure how much longer she can hold out as everything in her body is telling her to give in.

That's when she hears the all familiar screech she's been waiting for.

"Saved by the bird" Kyra huffs as she pulls back away from Kassandra so they both can stand. "He's lucky he's so cute."

"Should I be worried about you stealing him from me?" Kassandra jokes as she holds her arm out, Ikaros making a perfect landing on it as always.

"Perhaps" Kyra answers as she moves forward to scratch under his chin.

Kassandra watches as Ikaros calms immediately and he melts into her touch. It was a beautiful sight to witness as Ikaros was a part of her in a way and Kyra loving him as much as she did meant more than she ever imagined. They didn't interact a lot, but Ikaros took to Kyra immediately and vice versa. 

Kassandra watches as Kyra reaches into her satchel and pulls out a treat for him.

"Don't tell your mater" Kyra whispers as she not so sneakily feeds him the treat.

Ikaros just happily let's out a chirp of approval in return and he thanks Kyra by rubbing his head into her hand.

"You're both lucky you're cute as that's most definitely not an approved snack" Kassandra light heartedly scolds.

"Ikaros and I don't know what you're talking about. Right, Ikaros?" Kyra defends and Ikaros chirps in response.

"Exactly!" Kyra pretends to interpret his sounds. "I couldn't agree with you more. We know absolutely nothing."

"Are you trying to steal my bird?" Kassandra questions. "I'm feeling very out numbered here."

"I could never separate you both, but I may want him on weekends. I think that's a fair agreement" Kyra offers and Kassandra just laughs at her antics.

"I will give it consideration" Kassandra chuckles as she finally takes her mater's note.

"I need to read over this, but could you get our things out for the night and I'll join you in just a moment?" Kassandra asks as she wants privacy in case this carries any bad news.

"Now you're lucky you're cute" Kyra responds as she leans to place a quick kiss on Kassandra's cheek. "I'll get our stuff together."

Kassandra can still feel where Kyra's lips just were and she can feel a warmth spread across her face as she unravels the note.

"My lamb,

You must know this is your home, just as much as it is mine, more even. I fear you forget this by the formal tone in your initial message. You are the one who restored our honor and you are the one who got our home back so you never have to even ask. 

As for your guest, I have made a space for them in Alexios' room for the time being, I hope that is acceptable. I appreciate you giving me notice of a guest so that I may tidy up and go to the market so that we may have a nice meal for your arrival.

We have much to discuss and I eagerly await your return.

All my love."

Kassandra clutches the note to her chest as her doubts of her mater's refusal dissipates. She's not sure why she thought her mater would turn her away, but the past is a hard lesson to let go.

With their arrangements taken care of, Kassandra turns her attention back to Kyra who is working diligently at setting up their tent.

"Malaka!" Kyra yells as she tosses one of the sticks across the clearing.

"Troubles?" Kassandra chimes in as she watches Kyra struggle to get the post to stay upright.

"I don't need help so don't even think about it" Kyra shoos Kassandra away.

Kassandra raises both hands and takes a few steps back as she watches Kyra fail again and again. Truth is, Kassandra knows exactly why it isn't working from her prior visit, but Kyra didn't want her help.

Kassandra had always been the one to set up their quarters so she was very familiar with it, but Kyra had overlooked such a small thing that it made it impossible for her to find success.

Kassandra just waited as Kyra grew more and more frustrated. She would give her another few minutes before she stepped in as she didn't want Kyra to be angry by this.

Kassandra watches as it finally clicks with Kyra and she smirks as Kyra finally puts it all together.

"When were you going to tell me I had it upside down?" Kyra inquires, some bark in her tone.

"You had two more minutes" Kassandra answers, not that it made a difference to Kyra.

"You're an asshole" Kyra grumbles as she brushes the dirt off from where she kneeled.

"You didn't want my help. You explicitly told me to stay out of it" Kassandra counters, knowing that it didn't help her case with Kyra any as it was clearly not the right answer in her mind.

Kyra doesn't have a response as she knew Kassandra was right, but Kassandra knew this was putting her further into the dog house. She needed to change their tune and quick.

"Let me show you something" Kassandra requests, offering her hand for Kyra to take.

Kyra eyes it skeptically before airing her concern. "It doesn't have more climbing does it?"

"Only a small ladder" Kassandra assures her and, with that, Kyra takes her hand. 

Kassandra leads them up the hill and she and Kyra climb up the ladder and walk towards the extended tree branch. "Now, mind you, I do not know how this got here, but I think it is pretty cool. Look down." 

Kyra does and, only then, can she see the submerged statue of Poseidon creating just beneath the surface.

"Oh my" Kyra gasps, never having seen such a sight before. "This is ingenious."

"Told you it would be worth it and very few people have ever seen it so you join a very exclusive club." Kassandra boasts.

"How did you discover it if it is so exclusive?" Kyra inquires.

"When I came back to Sparta for the first time since I was a little girl, I got overwhelmed by everything and decided to wander a bit to collect myself. Climbing forces my mind to focus on something other than my problems so this was a result of one of those moments" Kassandra shares, never having admitted that before to anyone.

"Happy accidents are the best" Kyra agrees as she takes Kassandra's hand back in her own. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

"It was nothing really" Kassandra dismisses the gratitude as she was not doing anything worth commending. Kyra deserved to know this and it was something she didn't need to be thanked for.

"It wasn't nothing" Kyra defends. "You keep brushing off what I say, thinking it isn't a big deal, but it is to me. You've kept everything from me for our entire relationship and the fact that you feel now that you can let me in means so much to me. I do not take it for granted."

Kassandra was at a loss for words. She knew Kyra wasn't expecting anything in response and she's not sure she could regardless. There were no words to change their past, but if it brought Kyra this much pleasure knowing her, she would make an effort to tell her more stories.

She does the only thing she can do, change the subject.

"Want to go for a swim?" Kassandra asks as she nods her head towards the branch.

"From up here? Are you mad?" Kyra questions, but Kassandra is already moving onto the tree limb.

"Where else would we jump from?" Kassandra points out. "This is the only place tall enough."

"You're going to hit the statue!" Kyra warns as she watches Kassandra reach the tip of the branch.

"What is life without risk?" Kassandra counters, readying herself for the dive. "Sometimes we must take the leap anyway, even if the chance for success is small."

With that, Kassandra gracefully leaps and does a perfect dive into the cool, crisp water below. She takes a moment to swim around beneath the surface, opening her eyes to get a look at the statue. It is a wonder that it has held up so well considering it was submerged in water, but who ever sculpted it must've known what they were doing.

Kassandra was able to hold her breath for several minutes, something she also found out on accident. Having lost track of how long she's been under water, Kassandra breeches the surface only to have Kyra dive in beside her.

Kyra wastes no time in coming up for air and scolding Kassandra.

"You are such a jerk!" Kyra says as she splashes Kassandra in the face.

"What did I do?!" Kassandra questions.

"You were underwater for so long," Kyra points out, "I thought something happened to you."

"I feel, although it's too late now, that I should tell you that I can hold my breath for quite some time" Kassandra admits and gets another face full of water.

"That would have been useful to know about five minutes ago before I panicked and drove in after you" Kyra complains as they both tread in place.

"Yes, but if I did that, you never would've made the jump. So, again, I see nothing wrong with what transpired. You were destined to make that leap of faith although I do wish I could've seen your form" Kassandra comments and Kyra's eyes get a playgirl glint to them.

"You know Kassandra," Kyra's voices in a husky undertone as she swims until they're practically on top of one another. "If you wanted to see my form so badly, there were more fun ways to do so."

Kassandra's pretty sure her body is overheating as Kyra runs her fingers up Kassandra's arm, raking her nails as she goes. She's never reacted to someone's touch the way she does Kyra's and she wonders if it is just the moment or if this would be how it is all the time.

Kassandra wasn't naive, she knew there would be trials and tribulations with anything new, but how long would those feelings last one the novelty wore off? Would she begin to change after a year? Two years? More? Would the sight of Kyra bring in a sense of dread if the mundane or would she feel like she does now? These thoughts overburden her as she tries to concentrate on the now, but she finds her mind isn't in it.

It is perhaps a blessing when Kyra pulls herself away, teasing her mercilessly, as it gives her an out for her conflicting feelings. Kassandra wants to focus, but the more serious she senses they're becoming, the more she wants to run.

Every single thing that she's doing now is in an extreme contradiction to who she is, who she was before this whirlwind. It is not in her best interest to think of anyone in the long term as people are disposable and replaceable. Why should Kyra be any different? Why should she be the catalyst in Kassandra's life? There was nothing wrong with how she used to be so why was she allowing herself to be swept up in this grand delusion? This could all only end one way. It's the same as everything else in her life. It was her destiny to live and die alone. So why couldn't she let this go?

"Kassandra, hey" Kassandra hears as she comes back into reality. It took her a moment, but she had apparently zoned out and Kyra must've said something without her response as now she's looking at her with deep concern in her eyes.

Kyra leans her hand forward to cup Kassandra's cheek, but Kassandra doesn't allow the contact. Her mind is too fogged with doubts to be touched. She needs to think and that means she needs some space.

"We should get out before we catch a cold" Kassandra says coolly as she swims towards the shore. She doesn't wait for Kyra as she just needs to be away from everything.

Kassandra decides to go sit on the ledge that overlooks Sparta in hopes that it will help provide her some clarity. She notes that Kyra remained in the water still, but her actions were none of Kassandra's concerns. She had her own problems to deal with.

Kassandra sits on the edge so that her legs can dangle down and closes her eyes. She allows the light breeze to encompass her and she feels it amplified as it hits the dampness of her skin. She should probably have dried off, but she doesn't get sick so it was never some she had to concern herself with. For now, she just needed to contrast on her skin to keep her tethered.

Kassandra wishes she knew where all of these thoughts were coming from as she had been so happy only moments ago. It was like a sadness loomed over her and she couldn't get out of her own way, like a rain cloud was hovering overhead.

She hears her before she sees her as Kyra moves into her peripheral. Kassandra wants to say she wants to be alone and she could feel herself getting irritated by the intrusion, but Kyra doesn't sit to join her. Instead, she places a cloth down with some of their food and walks away, back towards their camp.

Kassandra now feels guilty for jumping to such conclusions. Kyra has always been one to respect her space and she always seemed to know when Kassandra needed the time so it was no surprise she didn't stay. Kassandra wouldn't want to be around her right now either with how she is. She needed to get over herself.

Kassandra may be doubting their future, but there was no mistaking that Kyra was here with her right now in the present and she needed to cherish the time they did have together. Her self destructive pity party needed to wait until there was a merit for it, but now, she owed Kyra yet another explanation.

Kassandra hoists herself up and walks back down to the camp where Kyra was tending their fire. This would be the first night they could have one all night so they would at least be warm.

Kassandra sits down near Kyra, but to her surprise, Kyra scoots away from her. 

Kassandra looks over her way and she can see Kyra staring intensity at the flames in the fire like she was avoiding eve contact at all costs.

Kassandra tries to bridge the gap by doing the only thing she's been doing lately. Apologizing.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I just needed some space" Kassandra clarifies, but Kyra doesn't look her way.

Silence is all Kyra gives her and she deserves it, but it doesn't mean she has to like it.

"I should have told you instead of just walking away" Kassandra says as she tries to break the deafening silence she was getting. "I was wrong to just shut you out."

Kyra still doesn't make a sound and Kassandra wonders if there's something deeper in her mind bothering her too.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kassandra offers in hope that Kyra will tell her what's wrong so she can fix it.

"No" Kyra answers sharply and Kassandra watches as her forehead creases as her anger builds.

Kassandra didn't think what she did warranted such a harsh response, but she didn't know why else Kyra was acting like this.

"Don't you tell me to talk about my feelings? I think you should take your own advice and talk to me" Kassandra presses and that seems to do the trick as Kyra's attention finally snaps to her.

"I have nothing constructive to say to you" Kyra responds.

"Then give me the unconstructive" Kassandra pushes, wanting Kyra to just let it out already. "I don't want you to be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you Kassandra, I'm frustrated" Kyra corrects. "I'm frustrated that you still just shut down on me and expect me to be fine whenever you're ready to come back. I'm not just something you can put down whenever it is inconvenient for you and them pick me back up and pretend like nothing has happened."

"I don't-" Kassandra begins to interrupt, but Kyra holds her hand up to stop her.

"Don't interrupt, I am not finished and I do not wish to hear your excuses" Kyra firmly shuts Kassandra up so she can say her piece. "I am irritated that you continue to completely disregard my feelings at every turn when I have been nothing but supportive of yours. I don't know why I expect anything different."

Kyra abruptly stands up and walks into the tent, leaving Kassandra alone to dwell on her words. "I'm going to lay down." 

Kassandra does not dare follow her now as it wouldn't fix anything. Instead, she needed to take a look at what Kyra just expressed to her. She thought she was making progress in talking with Kyra afterwards, but Kyra must want something before it happens. The seemed like a tall order as it just hits her at random, it's not methodical so she cannot warn what she's not aware of. 

How can Kyra expect so much of her? Doesn't she know that Kassandra is trying? Does it even matter? She isn't a miracle worker and it is bad enough to have to talk about every little thing, yet alone do it every time it happens. 

Kassandra looks up towards the sky, hoping an answer would present itself in the stars, but alas, she's on her own yet again.

"Ughhhh" Kassandra groans as she sinks her head into her hands.

Why does this all have to be so hard? 

Kassandra grabs her spear and launches it into the ground out of frustration. She does this again and again, until she's struck with an idea.

Kyra has tried to get Kassandra to do all of this her way, but it was Kassandra's turn now. Kyra wanted to talk about feelings whereas Kassandra sparred until her body was spent. 

Kyra was going to do this her way.

Kassandra goes to the tent with heavy footsteps so Kyra would be alerted to her presence.

"Get up" Kassandra commands, a firmness in her voice that she's not used to taking with Kyra.

"Excuse me?" Kyra answers flabbergasted at Kassandra's apparent order.

"You heard me, up" Kassandra repeats as she motions for Kyra to stand.

"Where do you get off on ordering me around?" Kyra sits up, angrier than Kassandra's seen her in a long time.

Kassandra doesn't respond to her question, but instead tosses Kyra's sword she brought to the ground beside her. "I'll be up the hill."

Kassandra doesn't wait for Kyra to argue so she just turns away and heads up the hill. The whole way she thinks that she's just made a stupid mistake by speaking to Kyra like this, but she has to trust that Kyra will be too intrigued to back out now. That or she's too angry, either would work in this situation.

Kassandra paces for around five minutes before Kyra marches up the hill towards her, fuming.

"What in the fuck is your deal?" Kyra spits out as she gets closer.

"Swing at me" Kassandra says as she holds up her spear in a defensive pose.

"Why would I do that?" Kyra questions.

"Swing at me or I can go first, it doesn't matter" Kassandra responds as she spins her spear in her hand to play with it.

"I'm not going to fight you" Kyra states, lowering her sword down to her side.

"Ok, guess I'm going first" Kassandra says as she tightens her grip.

Before Kyra can protest, Kassandra takes a light swing towards her. Kyra, of course, raises her sword to defend it and Kassandra keeps it up. Each swing getting more and more aggressive until Kyra picks up the pace.

"There we go" Kassandra comments as Kyra begins to take on the offensive.

They spar like that for god knows how long, but as the night grows darker, Kassandra can tell Kyra's anger has mostly subsided. It may not be the healthiest coping method, but exhausting your body allows your mind to be more clear, at least in her experience.

They end up dead locking with their respective weapons caught in a cross in front of them. Neither wants to be the first to give so the hold their position with what energy they've got left and focus on a stare down.

Even in her anger, Kassandra finds Kyra so exquisitely beautiful. Such a passion she brings to everything she does, it can only leave one intoxicated. Kassandra is but a moth to Kyra's flame and as much as that scares her, she also cannot resist.

Kassandra makes a split decision and decides she's done with this game they're playing when there is something much better they both could be doing.

Kassandra quickly disarms Kyra, having caught her off guard, and she tosses her spear aside as well. Kyra does not speak, but Kassandra can see exactly what she's looking for. Permission.

Kassandra surges forward and captures Kyra in a messy kiss, their teeth hitting on the impact, but neither care. They both scramble to gain control of the kiss, their hands roaming over every inch of one another as they tug at whatever their hands can grab.

Kassandra considers having Kyra right here, but it was more exposed than what she'd like and it would be uncomfortable for Kyra so Kassandra does what any super strong woman would do. She grabs onto Kyra's thighs and easily pulls her up so that Kyra's legs are wrapped around her waist.

Kassandra carefully moves the two of them back down the hill, trying to take caution on loose rocks while simultaneously not allowing Kyra's lips to escape her own.

She gets them both there in one piece and she lowers them onto their bed for the night. Kassandra can feel Kyra trying to flip them, but she's not having that, not now.

Kassandra disconnects them long enough for her to take in Kyra's now disheveled appearance by the light of the fire. 

Kyra's hair was a mess around her face, clinging to her from the sweat from their sparring session. Her lips were plump and wanting and her cheeks were flushed the deepest crimson.

Kyra was a goddess and Kassandra would worship the altar.

Kassandra rids herself of her top with ease as she carelessly tosses it aside, enjoying the reaction that her exposed chest is giving Kyra.

"See something you like?" Kassandra teases, enjoying the fluster apparent in Kyra.

"Shut up and kiss me" Kyra responds as she leans forward to reconnect their lips in a heated fervor.

Kassandra happily obliges and she will make sure she kisses every square inch of Kyra possible after she removes all the clothing preventing her from doing just that.

Kassandra revels in the look of Kyra beneath her and all her prior doubts about them disappear. What matters is Kyra was here now and she needed to live more in the presence to not miss these moments.

Kassandra's eyes hungrily take in every curve of her body and Kassandra whispers a small thanks to the gods for the woman below her. If anything went right in her life, it was when she met Kyra.

Kassandra is not gentle and neither is Kyra.

Kassandra can feel the scratches down her back, the stinging sensation not one of pain, but an indication that Kyra had probably made her bleed. It was no matter, she was used to scratches and these were, by far, the most enjoyable of her marks.

Kassandra gave as good as she got though as Kyra's entire chest and neck were peppered with bites and bruises. 

Kyra tasted sweet and salty, her new favorite combination. Every kiss earned her a moan and every nip with her teeth earned her another mark somewhere on her back. It was enchanting and addicting and Kassandra was not stopping unless the gods themselves struck her down.

Kassandra savored Kyra to her limits and she was never more grateful for the secluded location of this lake as Kyra's exclamations of her name would be loud enough to wake an entire town. Out here, they didn't need to be quiet and she made sure they were anything but.

Kassandra did not walk away empty handed either, as much as she would have been fine with it as tonight was about Kyra. Fortunately for her, Kyra was a generous lover and the two of them continued well into the night until they were forced to stop due to exhaustion.

As Kassandra comfortably settles into the fur she'd purchased with their extra money after the rousing success of Kyra's first cult takedown, she let's out a contented sigh. Kyra doesn't waste any time in moving closer, resting half of her body onto Kassandra's and falling asleep within minutes.

Kassandra holds Kyra tight and runs her fingers gently through her hair. Her reward is one unexpected as she feels a smile form unconsciously on Kyra's face. Kassandra can envision what a sight it is as she won't actually make a move to see it as to not disturb her.

Kassandra is ever grateful that her more abrasive technique worked like a charm. She's sure they would talk a bit once they both awoke in the morning, but at least Kassandra now had a plan b if they were ever at odds. She would not expect what followed this time, but it still worked it's magic.

Kassandra sleeps peacefully all night and wakes feeling refreshed and warm. She assumes it is Kyra, but a quick opening of her eyes reveals she's alone and covered with Kyra's fur.

It was rare for Kassandra to sleep for so long as it had to be a little after dawn and it was even more rare for someone to wake before her. She was always the first to rise, but she must've needed the sleep more than she thought.

Kassandra can hear the splashing of water so she heads to the actual lake and watches as Kyra washes up.

"You just going to stare or are you going to join me?" Kyra offers and Kassandra didn't need to be asked twice.

The water is cool, not having the opportunity to be warmed by the sun just yet, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

Kassandra wades into the more shallow end where Kyra stands, but she opts to dive in first to get herself adjusted.

They both take turns cleaning one another and fooling around, having not a care in the world. It was morning's like this that made Kassandra feel good about the day ahead and she wouldn't lie that she was also excited for what else was to come.

They washed their clothes, both wanting to be presentable for this "mystery host" but Kyra could show up in a wheat sack and still be the most stunning woman in Kassandra's opinion.

They ate the remaining of their food after an assurance from Kassandra that there would be plenty of food where they were going. She did not know her mom that well yet, but what she did know was that the woman lived to make an impression so their meal would be feasts to rival the kings. 

Her home was humble, but still large enough to be comfortable. There wasn't much in the way of furniture as the table took up the bulk of the space as that's where they used to spend most of their time if they were indoors. Otherwise she and her pater, no, Nikolaus would train for hours on end until her clothes matched the color of the dirt. Her heart misses the carefree life she used to have, but that was long ago and it would only ever be a memory of happier times.

One the sun rises, Kassandra leads them into her home with a nice brisk walk and it wasn't until they hit the entrance does Kyra realize where they are.

"Um, Kassandra," Kyra speaks, "where are we exactly?"

"Where do you think we are?" Kassandra asks back and she can tell that Kyra is connecting the dots.

"Is this?" Kyra begins, but pauses before trying again. "Is this Sparta?"

"Welcome to my birthplace" Kassandra says softly, placing a kiss onto Kyra's cheek.

Kassandra feels a sense of ease the moment they cross into Sparta. After everything this place has caused her, it was still her home in some way and she was Spartan through and through whether she liked it or not. Being here now felt right.

Watching Kyra's expression as she confirmed their location was worth all the trouble they've had together. She hopes that Kyra will understand this and the importance it is to her, therefore affirming how important Kyra is to her.

"I can't believe it" Kyra mumbles to herself as she runs her hand at the base of one of the two statues marking Sparta's entrance. "I never could have imagined such a spectacle."

Kassandra let's Kyra lead as they wander the streets for a while, Kyra taking it all in for the first time and Kassandra taking in some new memories to replace less pleasant one's.

Kyra stops them on a set of stairs and pulls Kassandra closer.

"Why did you bring me here?" Kyra inquires and Kassandra can sense there's more than just face value to this question.

"Two reasons" Kassandra answers, taking the time to consider how she wants to elaborate.

"The first was business as there is something happening here that can have a massive impact on the war and I need to help. The second was personal as I wanted to show you my past. This is where my journey began and I wanted to share that with you" Kassandra answers honestly as she holds Kyra's face in her palms.

"I don't know what to say" Kyra responds, tears welling in her eyes after Kassandra's explanation.

"Just say you're with me and I'll show you as much as I possibly can" Kassandra says sweetly and Kyra answer her with a passionate kiss.

They embrace on the very public steps with not a care in the world who sees and nobody in Sparta would dare comment anything negative to her, at least to her face. Everyone knows who she is and what she's capable of and given her bloodline, there is a certain respect that comes with it.

"I have one more surprise for you" Kassandra whispers in Kyra's ear before she pulls back.

"I usually don't enjoy surprises, but I am excited for it" Kyra gleefully exclaims as she takes Kassandra's hand. "Lead the way."

Kassandra is smitten by her joyous nature and she hopes that meeting her mater won't end up being an issue.

Kassandra takes the all familiar route until she's walking down the final steps to her yard, stopping at the door.

"Who lives here?" Kyra asks, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"You'll see" Kassandra answers as she knocks on the door.

It only takes a few seconds until the door opens and Kassandra is reunited once again with her mater.

"My lamb! I'm so happy to see you!" Myrinne excitedly exclaims as she pulls Kassandra into a tight hug.

"It is good to see you too" Kassandra answers back as she tightens her grip. A part of her still in disbelief that she found her after all this time.

Kassandra let's go as she turns to Kyra to introduce her. "This is Kyra. Kyra, this is Myrinne, my mater." 

Surprised was only a mild description of what flashed across Kyra's face at this reveal. Kassandra couldn't place what she saw, but as usual, Kyra got a lock on it before it would come into question.

Kyra offers out her hand, but her mater was not having the formalities and pulls her into a hug too.

"It is so nice to meet my Kassandra's friends. This is definitely a first" Myrinne points out, but doesn't dwell on it as it is still a sore point for her. 

Kyra seems to pay more attention at the word "friend" than anything, but Kassandra would have to sort that out later. It was only now that she realized her mater would want to know who Kyra was to her and Kyra would ultimately want to know the same. For a woman who prides herself on thinking ahead, Kassandra left a pretty glaring gap in this one. 

"Please, come in and make yourself at home" Myrinne says as she ushers them inside. 

"Kassandra, please show Kyra her room and get her settled" her mater requests and she realizes that Kyra was getting her own room, something that may not sit well with her.

"Of course mater" Kassandra agrees as she takes their things and she and Kyra walk upstairs.

The rooms were not very big, especially Alexios' as he was just a baby when everything happened so it never got expanded as he grew.

True to her word, her mater had added a bed that could possibly fit two people if they really tried. There wasn't much in terms of extra space so she brought everything to her room.

Kyra takes in her room, but doesn't comment on it. There was nothing personal here and she wouldn't have anything from her childhood to display so Kyra's silence was most likely a courtesy to avoid an uncomfortable topic.

"So...," Kyra begins as she takes a seat on Kassandra's bed, "a friend?"

"I haven't told my mater anything in all fairness" Kassandra defends. "She only knew I was coming a day ago when I wrote that letter for Ikaros."

"Just so we are on the same page, what am I to you for her?" Kyra questions and rightly so.

"I didn't specify to her," Kassandra admits, "I just said it would be a guest."

Kyra's in her "deep thinking" pose as Kassandra waits for Kyra's reaction to all this.

"Do you know your mater's thoughts on two women being together?" Kyra asks, but Kassandra doesn't have an answer.

"It's never been discussed, I'm sorry" and Kassandra really was as it puts them into a sort of bind.

"Alright, friend it is" Kyra agrees and Kassandra is a little surprised by how easily she agreed to it, but she kept that to herself.

The two make their way down to the table where everyone shares stories and they laugh the night away, fitting like the missing piece to a puzzle. Kyra and her mater got along swimmingly, too good sometimes as they would both gang up on her to tease her mercilessly.

"I can see I am not loved here. I may as well go outside and lay with the chickens" Kassandra dramatically exclaims as her mater shares a rather embarrassing story from her childhood.

"Oh hush you. You will do no such thing" her mater dissuades as she prepares their dinner.

Kyra plays the part of friend well to her credit, too well for Kassandra's liking as she won't even allow her to sneak a kiss when her mater's back is turned. This was probably some sort of punishment for her not being truthful about the nature of their relationship. It wouldn't have been a big deal if it were only a couple of days, but after the discussion the three of them had, she knew they would be here for much longer. At least two months to collect all the evidence as it was a king that they would be accusing so this needed to be as air tight as possible.

If Kassandra had to go two months without touching Kyra, she would probably implode. Kyra seemed to be enjoying Kassandra's torment and seemed none the worse by this gap in their intimacy as Kyra remains firmly spaced from her during the day and tucked away in Alexios' room at night.

As the days pass, the toll racks and Kassandra is less than thrilled at their "friends" arrangement. It was like Kyra would tease her and leave her hanging at the most inopportune times.

"Kyra, my mater will be gone for twenty minutes and you want to read?!" Kassandra huffs, irritated by Kyra's lack of interest.

"It's a good book Kassandra," Kyra shrugs off her advances with indifference, "it's a real page turner."

Kassandra moves forward and plucks the book from Kyra's hand and places it further away on the table. "That was not the correct answer."

She crouches down and leans forward to capture Kyra in a much needed kiss, but Kyra turns her head away at the last second and she ends up kissing her cheek.

"To my knowledge Kassandra," Kyra puts an extra enunciation on her name, "friends do not engage in such behavior."

"Are we really doing this right now?" Kassandra sighs as she sinks back into her heels.

"We're not doing anything," Kyra answers nonchalantly, "that's the point...my friend."

Kassandra knows this is a losing battle so she decides to head outside and get some air before she makes a fool of herself. She walks to the market where she spots her mater and she decides to tag along.

"Kassandra? What brings you here? Are you alright?" Myrinne asked concerned.

"I'm fine, I just needed some air and thought I would help you out" Kassandra ducks the real reason for her sudden appearance, but her mater doesn't let it go so easily.

"You should not lie to me, it's unbecoming" her mater chastises.

How do you know I'm lying?" Kassandra defends.

"I can see it in your eyes, it's a mater's instinct" Myrinne offers like it is a reasonable thing. "That and you also looked like a kicked puppy dog. Did you and Kyra have a fight?"

"No....maybe...I don't know" Kassandra huffs as she walks in sync with her mater.

"When were you going to tell me she was your girlfriend and not just your "friend"?" Myrinne asks and Kassandra stops dead in her tracks.

The look on her face was priceless. She had worked so hard to keep up the illusion and she thought it was pretty convincing.

"Did you not think I knew?" Myrinne inquires with a small laugh. "Oh my little lamb, of course I knew. I'd have to be blind not to see it."

"Oh" is all Kassandra can say, having lost her words so she clears her throat. "How long have you known?"

"Since the first night, you two could hardly keep your eyes off each other. It reminded me of myself in my youth with..." Myrinne cuts herself off before she speaks his name. 

Kassandra had told her mater about what she did to Nikolaus, how she had killed him. Her mater tried to hide it, but the pain she felt was overwhelming and she cried while Kassandra held her. She had told her afterwards that she was not crying for his loss, as he's been dead to her since that night on the mountain, but for a life she could have had. It was an emotional day for the both of them and they slept close that night, making them both feel less alone. Still, his was a name neither of them wanted to speak.

"Kyra is important to me, but she is not my girlfriend" Kassandra decides to pull the conversation back to where it started.

"Does she know this and why the hell not?" Myrinne questions, her tone taking more of a lecture. "Of all the stupid things you could do."

"Mater!" Kassandra shushes as they're still in a very public place. "How do you know this was my doing anyway?"

"Because I know you Kassandra and from what I've learned of Kyra, this has you written all over it" Myrinne doesn't sugar coat it and it's like everything Kassandra's done to keep up this illusion is crumbling around her.

"It's like you and Kyra got together plan this attack" Kassandra scoffs as this day was slowly derailing.

"I'm not attacking you love," Myrinne clarifies, "I just want you to be happy and I can see that you are with Kyra so what is stopping you?"

"Everything" Kassandra answers, feeling defeated. "I'm not good enough for her and I am keeping a secret from her that can change everything. Kyra will hate me."

"I don't think that woman could ever hate you" Myrinne tries to cheer Kassandra up. "She may get mad at you, but I've seen this love before and she will always find her way back to you. Just like I know you will always find your way to her. It is something you should treasure."

Kassandra tenses at her mater's use of the word "love." She's denied it for so long, but if someone else can so obviously see it, she wasn't sure who she was trying to fool anymore. 

She had to face the facts, she loved Kyra.

It all made so much sense and her denying it wouldn't change the fact that it was true. It was only hurting herself and Kyra and hurting her was something she didn't ever want to do. They've spent too long on the wrong foot that it was time they got it right.

"Come, let's go home now and I'll make myself scarce this evening after supper so you both can talk and do whatever else you two can think of" Myrinne winks and Kassandra has the ungodly urge to rewind this conversation or have the ground swallow her whole.

"Oh my god, please never ever say that to me again" Kassandra requests, now thoroughly embarrassed by her mater's nod for them to have sex.

"It's natural Kassandra, and besides, it's not like I didn't do the same thing at your age" Myrinne teases. "There was this one time..."

"Enough, enough!" Kassandra hastily interrupts. "I never in a million lifetimes want to ever hear any of your stories like that in this life or the next."

"You're so dramatic" Myrinne laughs at Kassandra's expense. "Fine, fine, let's just get home now so I can make us some lunch."

Kassandra is grateful to go and leave this increasingly awkward conversation behind them. Never in her life has she ever wanted to disappear so intensely. It wouldn't matter how old she got, discussing her mater's sex life would never ever, ever be acceptable.

They arrive home within minutes and Kyra was still in the same spot that she left her in, book back in hand.

"My you read fast my dear" Myrinne comments as she walks over to give Kyra a hug and a kiss on the head.

Myrinne has never treated Kyra as anything but her own daughter from the moment they met. She knew Kyra was special because Kassandra would never brought anyone she didn't absolutely love to her door. She had gotten to know Kyra better over the weeks and the two of them shared stories of their life. Once she found out the fate of Kyra's parents, she made it a point to be extra loving and supportive. It was hard enough losing Kassandra, but she was reunited eventually, but that was never an option for Kyra. She would be her mater if Kyra allowed it and she would love her unconditionally.

"You have some wonderful stories laying around" Kyra compliments. "I've never heard of most of these."

"That's because these have been passed down for generations and they're all true stories of our ancestors. I have the best one's locked away if you're interested" Myrinne offers and Kyra's face lights up, but before she answers, she looks towards Kassandra.

Kassandra had been just leaning against the wall watching them interact and she loved how they both are getting along and how close they've gotten in such a short period of time. It wasn't until Kyra looked towards her that she realized she must've been asked a question.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kassandra asks for a repeat of the question.

"Would you mind if I read these stories about you and your family?" Kyra asks.

Kassandra is confused as to why she'd need permission to read, but then it dawns on her why. It was because it was a part of Kassandra and, like always, Kyra wanted permission for her to know more about her. Even when they were at odds, she was still always thinking about her and her feelings. Kyra was right last night when they argued.

Kassandra had not given anything they did much thought, but having her ask this right now shows her what a fool she's been.

"Of course you can" Kassandra answers with a smile and Kyra lights back up upon hearing her words.

Kyra and her mater sit down at the table and the two of them get in a discussion about something political by the sounds of it and that's Kassandra's usual sign that she should find something else to do as she avoided politics at all costs, but seeing how interested Kyra was by the subjects, it was time she took an interest too.

Kassandra pulls up a seat next to Kyra and listens as the two of them talk about the war and various other topics. As Kassandra watches Kyra talking animatedly with her mater, both of them laughing at whatever was just said (as Kassandra was pretty lost), a thought strikes her so deeply that it was though she was just struck by lightning.

She found what was missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kotinos - The olive wreath given to the sole victor of the Olympics from the wild olive tree near the temple of Zeus.
> 
> The change I made was how Kassandra and Myrinne got their house back. In the game you expose the corrupted king before you get your land, while in my story, the king is still present but you still get your house after proving yourself. Only a small change :)


	18. Blame It On My Heart (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I totally spaced that I had a wedding to attend earlier this week (which cut greatly into my writing time) so I've decided to change it up. I have never repeated a song before, but since this wasn't meant to be split, I'm altering it so that I'm able to give you all something this week. That's the benefit of making the rules, I can break them 😎.
> 
> Next week you will get Part 2 and all will be right with the world again :). For now, please enjoy Part 1!
> 
> Karmin - Blame It On My Heart  
> https://youtu.be/Pb9TcP9VEJo

Laughter pouring out of all of them like this was the most entertaining place in the world. For all Kassandra knows, it was. They talk long into the night sharing stories of misadventures and mishaps and they really absorb one another. Her mater was quite the storyteller and she found herself as enraptured as Kyra was in some of her tales. She knew much more than Kassandra did about their past and it turns out there was much left off the papyrus when it came down to it.

True to her word though, her mater excused herself on a false errand to allow Kassandra the time to talk to Kyra. Kassandra does enjoys the time that the three of them have been able to have, but she was overdue for some alone time with Kyra and she needed to stop this charade.

As soon as her mater is out the door, Kyra picks up yet another book and continues to read. It stung, but she would right the wrong she started before it went too far.

"Kyra, could we please talk?" Kassandra feels like she's almost begging at this point with how much she's been getting the cold shoulder.

"I suppose so," Kyra responds, her eyes not leaving her book, "just give me a moment."

Kassandra settles across the table and begins to fidget while she waits. She is nervous, so very nervous because what she's about to do will change everything for the both of them. She's not an anxious person by any means, but the more time she spends waiting, the more time she's psyching herself out. 

Her mind is telling her that it's too late and that Kyra won't have her anymore and that she will just leave her when she becomes too much to handle. They all leave, what makes Kyra any different? Kyra would get tired of her inability to express her emotions properly and she would get tired of having to give up her life. Kassandra needed to do this, but Kyra didn't. Kyra did not have any obligation to her or her cause and it could prove to be too much.

"Kassandra?" Kyra speaks softly. "Are you alright?" Her hand reaches out but stops short of actually touching Kassandra.

"No," Kassandra answers, her voice low as she shakes her head to mirror her answer, "I don't think I am."

Kassandra looks up and allows Kyra to see the tears in her eyes. It had just become too much and she was so tired of pretending everything was fine when it wasn't. Her demons were fighting against her and she couldn't face them alone, not again.

Seeing Kassandra so disheveled, Kyra tosses the book aside and rushes around until she's kneeling before Kassandra. Kyra's hands reach for her face and she closes her eyes when they cup her tenderly and gentle stroke her cheeks. They stay that way for a few moments and Kassandra is grateful that she is able to take this all at her pace.

"This is my fault" Kassandra hears Kyra mumble to herself before she speaks up to a more audible tone. "Kassandra, I am so sorry. I didn't know this hurt you so much. I was selfish and I took it too far. Gods, I'm such an idiot."

Of course Kyra thought this was all her fault. She was too pure for Kassandra's inevitable corruption and Kassandra should do the right thing and just cut her loose now before she gets hurt, but she won't. Unlike Kyra, Kassandra is selfish and will allow a row of destruction if it means she gets what she wants and her desire for Kyra is overwhelming.

"None of this is your fault, it never is" Kassandra responds, taking Kyra's hands in her own and bringing them to her lap. "I am the problem and I always will be."

Kyra looks at her confused as she must think this was about the "friends" thing. "I don't understand Kassandra."

"There's so much I've needed to say to you and so much that I still can't, not yet, but I have to get this off my chest so I just need you to listen. Please?" Kassandra asks and Kyra agrees immediately so now it was time to face the music.

"I have been awful to you" Kassandra confesses. "You were right, I am selfish and I only think of myself and I don't know if I can ever change to who you deserve. You deserve to have someone who can be everything you need without you having to put so much effort in. I know it takes a toll on you and I should not have to be your charity case."

Kassandra can see the urge rise in Kyra to speak out, but Kassandra needs to get all of this out before she chickens out so she squeezes Kyra's hands tight.

"I have to know, why are you with me?" Kassandra asks a question she's not sure she's ready to hear the answer to, but it must be done. "What gain do you have by being with me? Is it something political?"

Kyra was quite visibly offended by Kassandra's question, but she answers it anyway. "I have nothing to gain Kassandra because I'm not with you for some ulterior motive!"

Kyra's voice raises as she stands up and begins to pace the room. "How dare you accuse me of something like that. For fucks sake, I thought you knew me better. I would never, ever use anyone for my own success. How could you think me so low?"

Kassandra's not sure why she said what she said as her original intention was nothing like what spewed out of her mouth to create this chaos. Perhaps she wanted to self destruct and sabotage herself so she could find that out she keeps tossing around in her mind. She wanted to believe she was doing the right thing by pushing Kyra away, but as she sees the immediate impact of her words, she realizes she doesn't want that at all.

"I don't know why I said that" Kassandra admits in an attempt to lessen the damage.

"Well you did and I can't just pretend like I didn't hear it" Kyra snaps back. "Do you enjoy hurting me like this? Is this a test of something sick and sadistic to prove my loyalty?"

"It's not a test and I don't need you to prove anything" Kassandra answers as she gets more frustrated with herself for causing all of this in the first place.

Kyra takes her hand and rakes it down her face, her frustration evident. "Clearly you do or we wouldn't keep having this same argument again and again. I feel like I'm stuck repeating myself and you're just not listening."

"I hear you, I do," Kassandra assures, "but I just don't understand why. Why you care, why you want to waste your time with me, why you're still here?"

"Because I love you!" Kyra shouts, her words echoing in the stillness of the night. "Because I fucking love you..."

"You, you love me?" Kassandra questions, wanting to make sure she didn't imagine it.

"Yes!" Kyra confirms what Kassandra thought she heard. "God knows why, but I do and I always have since that night on the beach."

Kassandra sat there dumbfounded, trying hopelessly to register everything Kyra was telling her. She loved her and had for a long time. There was some part of Kassandra that had hoped, but never in her wildest dreams did she ever expect those words to fall from her lips. 

"It has always been you" Kyra says much more calmly as she halts her pacing to take a seat. "I can't tell you why like you want me to because I don't even know, but what I do know is that I do love you because you're exactly who you are. I have never wanted to change you Kassandra, I've only ever wanted to help you grow."

"I-" Kassandra's words die off, her mind was unable to comprehend this revelation.

"It really, really hurts me that you think I could be so vindictive and cruel" Kyra's voice is tinged with sadness and Kassandra knows it's all her fault. "I am going for a walk, I need some air."

The request for air was reasonable as this was quite the bombshell that was revealed, but Kassandra knows she needs to say something. If she let's Kyra walk out that door, she'll have failed her yet again. What Kyra deserves is someone who was willing to fight for her and even if Kassandra had doubts about where that would take them, she couldn't just let her walk away.

Kyra moves towards the door and Kassandra makes a brash decision to prevent that.

As Kyra pulled the door towards her, Kassandra lunged herself forward, her hand practically slamming the door shut. In their current position, Kassandra has Kyra pinned and she knew she could force this conversation to happen right here, but she didn't want Kyra to feel more trapped than she already was.

Kassandra backs away immediately and Kyra turns to face her, her face alarmed from the sudden forcefulness of Kassandra.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't let you leave like that" Kassandra apologizes as she could've handled that much better. Hell, she could've handled this entire conversation so much better.

"I don't wish to talk to you anymore Kassandra" Kyra is soft yet forceful with this statement and Kassandra knows she only has a small window to capitalize.

"Then don't talk, just listen" Kassandra pleads as she takes a seat back at the table. She looks towards the seat beside her and gives Kyra a look imploring her to give her this chance.

Kyra gives a small nod in agreement and takes the designated seat. Kassandra wishes that was the hard part, but that is still to come. She's been a complete malaka all night with her words said out of fear and it was time she grew some courage or the best thing to happen to her would be over before it began.

"Kyra, I was an idiot for what I said before" and Kassandra surely was, gods, how stupid was she to even think such a thing. "I knew your intentions were never one's like that and, for that, I am deeply remorseful. I spoke out of fear and it just spiraled out of control."

"You speak of fear, but what do you even have to be afraid of?" Kyra questions and Kassandra readies herself to unload the most brutal truth. 

"You. I am afraid of you" Kassandra admits and Kyra's confusion at her proclamation was clear.

"Me?!" Kyra questions dumbfounded. "How can I possibly scare you? I just don't understand."

"You terrify me Kyra, but it is nothing you do on purpose or maliciously. Hell, you probably don't even know you do it" Kassandra tries to explain, but it is obvious that Kyra is still not following so she needed to do a better job of clarifying.

"What I'm trying to say is that I find you so unnerving sometimes that I end up questioning everything" Kassandra explains, but it seems she's missed the mark.

"I don't see how that's any better than what you said before" Kyra points out. "First I scare you and now I unnerve you, both sound pretty awful from my position."

"Ughhhh," Kassandra groans, "why can't I do this right?"

"Look Kassandra, I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me other than the fact that I frighten you and I don't know how to feel about that" Kyra admits, wanting to exit this deteriorating situation immediately. "I'm just going to go."

"No!" Kassandra reacts as soon as she registers Kyra's words. 

"I can't do this with you right now. It is clear you don't even know what you want" Kyra points out as she stands up to make her exit.

"I want you!" Kassandra exclaims in her last ditch effort to make Kyra stay. "I want you so badly that it scares me."

Kyra pauses at her words so she continues on this train of thought as anything has to be better than the drivel she'd been spewing so far.

"I am not good with words, but I am going to try to be" Kassandra doesn't know if she says this more for Kyra's sake or her own, but she doesn't let it stop her momentum. "You challenge me to be a better person than I ever even imagined and I find that I want to be. For you."

Kassandra stands up from her seat and makes the few steps until she's standing before Kyra. She will bare her soul as she has nothing else to lose and her heart is placed in Kyra's hands. For too long she's kept it void of anything loving or wonderful and enough was enough. She would unleash everything she's been feeling, thinking and leave herself as exposed as she'll ever be. She will no longer hide behind excuses and she will no longer cower for fear of rejection.

Steeled and invigorated, Kassandra unleashes everything she's wanted to say, holding nothing back.

"I think I knew you were special the moment I met you" Kassandra shares as she reaches out for Kyra's hands. "At first, I don't know what I felt as I had never found someone who could match my every move. You were smart, tactical, just plain brilliant, and I found myself in unfamiliar territory. Never had another person been able to keep up with me on the battlefield, but there you were, matching me blow for blow. I don't even think you realized how incredible you truly were that fight on the beach."

"I hardly kept up with you Kassandra," Kyra rebuffs, letting go of Kassandra's hands. "I was just treading water while you made it look so effortless."

"That is a lie" Kassandra firmly presses, not having Kyra's self deprecation. "You moved with such precision out there, it was remarkable. I found myself going out of my way to take down extra Athenians to make sure you didn't get more than I did. You were a competitive threat."

"A threat?" Kyra repeats back for clarification.

"Indeed" Kassandra affirms. "You see, I try to challenge myself if at all possible with all my contracts or else they can get a bit stale, but from watching you, I wasn't too sure why I was even needed in the first place. It made me wonder if I wasn't being played to look like a fool."

Kyra places her hand over her mouth, most likely to mask her astonishment at Kassandra's confession.

"The more I got to know you, the more I couldn't pull away. It was like you just drew me to you and I could barely resist" Kassandra continues, taking Kyra's silence as encouragement. 

"It was easy, or so I thought at first, this attraction to you" Kassandra recalls, "I assumed it was merely physical as that's how it always was for me. I would share a night and be long gone before the sun broke. But not with you. I had stayed longer than I anticipated and my feelings never went away. I would drink to drown you out or..."

Kassandra realizes she's navigated herself into a corner and now she must tell Kyra about the other women she's been with. It was a topic Kyra never wanted to broach (and for good reason), but in order to understand where Kassandra's head was, it was a necessary evil.

"Now I'm not proud of this next part, but it happened and there's no denying it" Kassandra warns to a susceptible Kyra as she remains completely silent, absorbing everything being said. 

Kassandra takes a deep breath and continues on. "I would sleep with other women to try forget you, to make the image of you burn into my mind a thing of the past."

"Did it ever work?" Kyra speaks up, her voice soft, so soft it could be mistaken for nervousness.

"Not a once" Kassandra remained steadfast in that answer. Not a once did it ever help, if anything, it made it so much worse. "You were all I could ever think about and I hated it."

Kyra's eyes widen at Kassandra's bold statement and Kassandra finds herself nervous that she'd perhaps said to much, but she owed it to Kyra to finish. Even if Kyra dismissed her afterwards, she needed to do this.

"I hated how you took up every waking thought I had. You were my first thought when I woke up and my last one before I went to sleep. I just couldn't escape you no matter how much I longed to" Kassandra divulged. "I was jealous of Thaletas, I was irrational in my behavior, simply put, I was losing control of everything I knew."

"I never realized any of that" Kyra says, barely audible like it was only for her ears only.

"I made sure you never did" Kassandra remarks. "I buried it deep, deep down inside me and I did what I always did. I tried to push you away, to hurt you on purpose. I am ashamed now, but I just couldn't see any other alternative at the time."

"So back at that celebration, when I saw you kissing that whor-" Kyra ponders her choice of words as it wasn't the other woman's fault for all of this so she alters herself to be more kind, "...woman, it was all just to hurt me?"

"Yes" Kassandra affirms. "I waited until I knew you could see me and I made my move. I just thought that if I could get you to hate me that it would be easier to walk away. Then you go and turned it around on me and I found myself utterly lost. You called me on my bluff and I didn't expect it."

Kassandra can look back on it now and smile at how much of a fool she really was, but she can still remember the feeling of devastation all too well.

"The day I left you were practically pushing me out of the door and I didn't know if I was relieved or angry that my so called plan had worked. I even followed you after you left my ship" Kassandra shares, thinking Kyra had no idea.

"I knew the whole time" Kyra points out to Kassandra's dismay. "You don't get to where I am without knowing your surroundings. What made you stop?"

"I knew that I couldn't be what you needed" Kassandra admits. "If I had stopped you, I wouldn't have known what to say as I was never going to stay. You deserved better."

"As much as I wanted you to stop me, looking back on it now, I'm glad you didn't. I had too much going on and I still had Thaletas to think about."

Kassandra almost winces at his name, having avoided him in her mind for so long. She briefly considered admitting what she did right then and there, but she felt it would be too much information all at once. She wouldn't confess her feelings only to tell her that she killed her boyfriend. That would be a conversation for another time, if ever.

"I had betrayed him, more than once with you, and I thought I deserved the pain as a penance for my actions" Kyra reveals. "I felt so conflicted myself with my feelings towards you that I think we were always doomed to fail at first."

Kassandra found mild relief in hearing Kyra say that so it wasn't as though they were on completely separate pages.

"The entire time we were apart, you never left my mind" Kassandra shares as she steers the conversation back. "The days blurred together and I just became a shell of a person that I once was and it was all your fault. I mean, I know it was my fault, but it was easier to blame you as you weren't there. I don't even think Barnabas wanted to deal with me and that man is as patient as a saint."

"I understand that feeling as I did the same with you" Kyra shares their similar experience in emotion. "I wanted to hate you for uprooting everything in my life and just walking away like it mean nothing to you. That you were just a beautiful storm sent to ravish my life and my heart and leaving only a desolate husk in its wake."

Kassandra had known she would hurt Kyra with how she had behaved in the past, but she never knew to what extent. It seemed she underestimated Kyra's feelings for her even then. "I had resigned myself to never seeing you again and I was making peace with it as best I could. The days got easier, but you never truly went away. If it were not for Praxos' plea for you, I don't think I ever would have come back to Mykonos."

Kyra remains pensive, moving closer to Kassandra and closer to the table. "I have never been more grateful for him disobeying a direct order than when he sent for you. I was so mad at him when he told me what he did for a split second before you walked in my office. Seeing you there in the flesh flooded all the feelings I'd been trying to forget."

"I felt the same way," Kassandra agrees, "I had considered it a dream at first, but you brought me back to the false reality I was living in. One where I wasn't with you, it was a nightmare. When you told me you never wanted to see me again, I was shattered."

"What did you expect of me Kassandra? You hurt me and you acted like nothing had happened between us so I reacted out of anger. You'd have done the same in my position" Kyra points out and Kassandra knows she's not wrong.

"I know now that what I did was wrong, but at the time I was feeling more and more suffocated that it was hard to even be in the same room as you. Every time we would accidentally touch, my heart raced at the feel and I could feel myself going right back to how I started. Know this though," Kassandra makes sure to place an emphasis on what's to follow, "I would always have come back to protect you, even if you hated me."

"You don't mean that" Kyra tries to find the fault in Kassandra words, but she can find none as Kassandra knows in her heart that she would have done anything for Kyra from the start.

"I do, always have" Kassandra's conviction was strong, so strong that Kyra can do nothing but believe her. "Even if you hated my guts, I would still never allow you to come to harm if I could help it. That's why I came back in the first place, Praxos was clear the danger you would be in for remaining neutral and I've seen enough of the war to know what happens. I didn't want the same fate for you."

"I would have made a decision before that happened, just so you know" Kyra comments. "I would never allow my island to come to harm if it was preventable."

"Who would you have sided with? If I hadn't have told you to go with Sparta" Kassandra questions.

Kyra retakes her prior seat, having decided to hear out Kassandra as this was turning into the most productive conversation the two of them had ever had. "I would have always chosen Sparta because they were the smarter of the tacticians and...because it reminds me of you. That was the whole reason for my delay, which I know was foolish, but it just would make me even more connected to you in my mind."

"It isn't foolish, well, maybe a little" Kassandra teases as she rejoins Kyra at the table. "I am Spartan and that will never change so I at least understand where you're coming from."

"You're just trying to be nice" Kyra deflects Kassandra's coddling. "Withholding a crucial decision because I was love sick is incredibly stupid and we both know it."

Kyra was right, but Kassandra would not agree regardless as she'd have probably done the same if the roles were reversed. "I think it would be a cold day in Hades before people stop acting stupid for love. Only love has the power to both crush the spirit of man and uplift it at the same time. It's quite the feat."

"I feel like I'm getting distracted from what I wanted to tell you. Not that I haven't loved this banter between us," Kassandra makes sure she clarifies, "but I still owe you an explanation."

"I'm sorry, I'll just listen" Kyra apologizes.

Kassandra reaches out to hold Kyra's hand, but she hesitates before she touches her. Kyra had already turned away her affection earlier and she needed to respect that Kyra wanted space, no matter how much she wanted otherwise. This new Kassandra would be a better listener and would do better at actually hearing what Kyra was telling her.

Kassandra knows she has her hesitations and since Kyra does not reach to reconnect them, Kassandra is sure she had made the correct decision. "All I have done is push you away at every chance I've had, but you still stayed by side anyway and I still don't know why, but I am eternally grateful you did. I would have been losing out on the best thing that has ever happened to me because of my pride and unwillingness for compromise. You have saved me from myself so no matter what comes down the line for us, I will never forget this."

Kassandra wasn't even sure she was capable of this amount of feeling all at once, but when something comes to Kyra, she shouldn't be surprised. "I will probably always be this stubborn and you will probably always be too determined, but I would really like it if we could give this a try. You make me feel like I've never felt before and, even though it scares me, it also is my reason to keep fighting. I don't expect you to forgive me right away for my frequent slip ups, but I hope that it is something we can work towards. I don't know what my future will hold, but the only thing I wish for it to have is you."

Kassandra closes her eyes to feel the weight of every syllable that had passed her lips and she can feel herself getting lighter. Her words may be heavy, but the dread she had been feeling inside was slowly dissipating. No matter how Kyra responds, Kassandra knows this was the right thing to do for both her and Kyra. 

Kyra deserved to know where she stood and Kassandra would give her what she could. There was only one phrase Kassandra wasn't ready to say just yet, but she would be soon. She could feel it within her that what she did feel for Kyra was love, but it was hard to throw those words out on anything less than a sure thing. Too many times the people she's loved left her in some form and she wouldn't allow herself to be the fool again. Kyra already owned her heart, she could not deny this. What she was waiting for though wasn't quite clear to her yet, but she knew that she'd recognize when the time was right.

"Thank you, for everything you've said" Kyra looks up at her with watery eyes as she attempts to keep her composure. "I will need some time to think about what you've said, but I am not going anywhere."

"That's all I ask, whatever you need" Kassandra exhales, relieved that Kyra was willing to think on what they've discussed.

They both look towards the door as they hear noise. Kassandra knows it is her mater giving her a fair warning of her approach and Kyra seems to realize this as well.

"Just one question though" Kyra asks as she sits back in her chair.

"Anything, ask away" Kassandra responds eagerly.

"How long has your mater known about this?" Kyra asks as she moves her hand between the two of them.

"She knew from the first night, said that it was "obvious" with how we looked at each other. She just played along" Kassandra shares as she stands up to go open the door.

"I knew I liked that woman" Kyra mutters to herself as she leans over to pick up what she was reading before. 

The moment of their truths had passed and they would go back like nothing happened for now, but Kassandra knew it wouldn't remain that way for long. She also didn't think she was meant to hear Kyra last words, but she was glad she did. Kyra and her mater were two of her favorite people and if Kassandra was going to try to be serious with Kyra, it was important that the both of them got along. 

"You can come in now mater, the coast is clear" Kassandra says as she walks over to the door, opening it to find Myrinne flailing to maintain her balance as she was pressed up against it. Catching herself just in time.

"I was just admiring the woodworking" Myrinne scrambles to find an excuse for her eavesdropping. "Such a sturdy door, excellent quality."

"I didn't know you could see with your ears? You never cease to impress me with your maternal powers" Kassandra teases as Myrinne gives her a dirty look.

"Cheeky girl you are" Myrinne comments as she pinches Kassandra's cheek and gives it a small shake. "Come, make yourself useful and start the fire."

"Actually Myrinne," Kyra chimes in, having been left out of the conversation so far, "if you wouldn't mind, I'd love to help you out."

Myrinne only smiles at Kyra's eagerness to assist her and she's happy for her company. Kassandra was her daughter and she loved her, but her cooking skills were abysmal. That and she would spend most of the time complaining so having someone actually wanting to help with the cooking was a breath of fresh air.

"That would be lovely Kyra" Myrinne moves towards Kyra with her hands extended, bumping Kassandra to the side. “Come, I have a special family recipe that I wished to do as a celebration."

"What are we celebrating?" Kyra and Kassandra ask in unison, both clearly out of the loop.

"That is for me to know and you to both find out soon enough" Myrinne answers with a mischievous grin. "Now Kyra, my dear, let's get to work and lamb, find something useful to do in the meantime. I think the roof could be swept."

"If I didn't know any better mater, I'd think you just wanted to be rid of me" Kassandra keeps her tone playful as she knows what her mater is trying to do for Kyra, but she cannot resist dragging her feet at her mater's expense.

"I could never wish that my lamb" Myrinne answers her, moving to cup her face in her hands. "I just know the topics Kyra and I will discuss will be of no interest to you."

"I know mater," Kassandra says as she brings her own hands to cover her mater's, "I am only teasing"

"You will give me gray hairs with that sassiness" Myrinne scolds as she gently swats at Kassandra's arm. "Go, make yourself useful."

"Your wish is my command" Kassandra dramatically bows and she earns a small chuckle from Kyra which made the additional flair all the more worth it.

Kassandra looks to Kyra who's trying to not laugh and offers her a wink before she heads outside to do her mundane task. She will give her mater this time with Kyra and she will allow them the privacy that it entails. She could probably go for a run after she finishes, it's been a while since she's been that active.

Kassandra hastily sweeps the roof and beats the dirt off the mats before she jumps down to announce her departure. She doesn't bother opening the door, but just yells it from outside before she takes off.

It may be odd for most people to be excited for exercise, but this was Kassandra's element. Her blood was pumping and her heart was hammering in her chest, it made her feel so alive. Nothing Sparta had to offer was too challenging for her, but she would just handicap herself to create something worth while. 

Tonight she decided that she would only run the stairs three at a time every time she encountered them. A great idea at the start, but as Kassandra weaves through the town, she remembers just how many stairs there were. Still, it was invigorating and that was the point. By the time she's worn herself out, she's at the bottom the of stairs leading to her home. 

She walks the short distance and peers into the window to watch as Kyra diligently stirs the pot with one hand as her other moves about animatedly for whatever story she was telling. Her mater seemed to be taking notes so maybe they did want to have that time to discuss business. It was no matter, they had the time together and that's what counts.

Kassandra doesn't bother to knock as she enters and her mater is too busy writing to pay her any mind, but the distinct clatter in the kitchen pulls Kassandra's attention and she catches Kyra staring at her. Kassandra first thinks she has something on her or maybe in her hair, but the kind of look she's receiving makes her tune change. Kyra is looking at Kassandra like she's famished and Kassandra is a feast on display just for her.

Kassandra had worked up quite a sweat and by the flicker of the fire, it glistens off her body. She never gave it a thought, but gauging Kyra's reaction, she needed to keep this in mind for later as this was apparently something Kyra enjoyed. Still, she was behaving and she didn't want to force Kyra's hand any so she would make herself more presentable. However, she would wait until Kyra realized she'd been caught first.

It didn't take long for Kyra to blush and spin away from her, but the small victory was well worth it. Kassandra chuckles as she ascends the stairs to make herself more presentable and comes back to the two of them sitting tableside, a serious expression on both of their faces.

"Come Kassandra," Myrinne pats the seat beside her, "we've much to discuss."


	19. Blame It On My Heart (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll keep this short and sweet as you have all waited so patiently for this so, without further ado, here is Part 2!
> 
> I am also apologizing ahead of time, you'll know why...
> 
> Karmin - Blame It On My Heart  
> https://youtu.be/Pb9TcP9VEJo

Kassandra wasn't sure what had happened as the mood change in the two of them was almost instantaneous. She couldn't have been gone for longer than five minutes and when she last left, they had been relaxed and now it was so tense that you could cut the air with a knife.

"What's going on?" Kassandra questions. "You both seemed fine only a moment ago."

"A moment can last for a second or a lifetime, nothing is ever as it seems" Myrinne answers and Kassandra is surprised by the runaround answer. Her mater was not one to talk in riddles so she wondered why the change now.

Kassandra looks to Kyra for an answer, but finds nothing but a blank stare and empty eyes. To see Kyra so downtrodden was worrisome, but it must've had something to do with the letter her mater had. 

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Kassandra demands more than requests at this point. "You both are acting strange and I don't like it."

"There has been assassination attempts on several leaders across Greece, most were successful" Myrinne breaks the bad news as her shoulders sag with the solemn news.

"By who?" Kassandra inquires, never more grateful that Kyra was next to her unharmed.

"Nobody knows although I have my suspicions" Myrinne comments as she stands and walks over to her bookshelf of maps, procuring one and splaying it across the table.

"All the areas hit must have something in common, but I'm not sure what yet" Myrinne speaks to herself, but loud enough for Kassandra and Kyra to overhear.

"Do you know anyone who has been attacked?" Kassandra inquires.

"I do not, no, but she does" Myrinne nods towards Kyra.

"Praxos" Kassandra states in realization, quickly moving to embrace Kyra.

She accepts it willingly and Kassandra can feel a small treble as Kyra begins to cry into her chest. 

This was a surprise for such an attack to happen and over such a large spectrum too. It was not uncommon for a small uprising to occur, but never on such a scale. This all sounded very coordinated and with an assumed high percentage of success, this was not something that happened overnight. Everything about this was coordinated and now the question lingered as to who. 

This had the cult written all over it, but she couldn't prove it. The precision and discretion needed for such a job could only come from blind loyalty. What mattered now though was Kyra so the rest will have to wait until minds are clearer.

Kassandra pulls back to cradle Kyra's face in her hands. There was a chance that Praxos wasn't one of the one's killed. She may not be his biggest fan, but he was quite capable as an adversary so if anyone could walk away from something like that, it was him. 

Kassandra gently rubs her thumb to wipe away a tear. She hated to bring this up, but she needed to know. 

"Is he...?"Kassandra doesn't dare finish the question, but the message is implied.

"No, thank the gods," Kyra sings out as a small relief, "but he was injured, but it is nothing life threatening."

"That's a silver lining that he still lives another day" Kassandra says in an attempt to lift Kyra's spirit. "What makes you so upset if he is mostly unharmed?"

Kyra steps out of the embrace entirely and crosses her arms over her chest. Kassandra can feel distance between them growing and she doesn't know why. There has to be more to it 

"It was meant for me, Kassandra, I was the one they were expecting to kill!" Kyra recoils, putting space between herself and Kassandra. "They wanted me and because I was off gallivanting with you and being selfish, I could have gotten my most trusted friend killed. I did this to him..."

Kassandra hurts at Kyra's dismissal of what they are doing, but time and harsh lessons have taught her that right now is not about her. The old Kassandra would've lashed back at Kyra's comment, but this was a new Kassandra who needed to see the world as a place larger than just herself. Causing a deeper argument would not solve anything and it was clear that Kyra was feeling guilty so, for now, she would try to calm the flames instead of stoking the fire.

"No, Kyra, this was not your fault" Kassandra responds, keeping the distance Kyra put between them. "Unless you were the one wielding the blade, this is not on you."

"I might has well have!" Kyra shouts back. "I left him in charge and everything that happens to him is on me and he could have died Kassandra....he could've died..."

Kyra drops to her knees and Kassandra rushes forward and quickly drops to her level, still not touching her as badly as she wants to. Kassandra watches as Kyra slumps, her whole body deflating as her head falls forward. Kassandra isn't sure what she can do to help her and it is killing her. She never wants Kyra to feel pain like this and if she could take the guilt and heartache away from her, she would without a second thought. For now, all she can do is stay near and show her support in whatever caliber she'll accept it.

Kassandra feels a hand placed on her shoulder and turns her head to see her mater standing behind her. She feels a small squeeze as her mater offers her unspoken support so Kassandra places her own hand on her mater's and they remain frozen in time. Nobody moves, nobody makes a sound for god knows how long as there is a time for words and actions, but that isn't now. No, now is a time for silence and penance as they all reflect.

Myrinne eventually lowers herself to match Kassandra and Kyra's height. She leans forward to whisper into Kassandra's ear "I need to speak with you, it's very important."

As much as Kassandra doesn't want to leave, she knows her mater would not ask this if it were not if a grave importance. She looks back to Kyra who hasn't moved and she doesn't just want to leave her here like this.

"Kyra, come, let's get you to bed" Kassandra speaks softly as she reaches her hand out to touch her leg.

Kyra doesn't answer her, but she at least nods so Kassandra takes that as consent. She stands back up and helps Kyra back to her own feet. Kassandra leads them upstairs and she helps Kyra undress. Never has she seen Kyra so upset before, hopefully some rest will do her good.

Kassandra wants nothing more than to put Kyra in her room and just lay with her until she feels better, but now is not the time so she brings her to Alexios' room. Still, she can at least make sure she's comfortable so Kassandra lifts the covers. Kyra climbs in and instantly curls herself in as small of a ball as possible, a sad sight. Kassandra has never wished she was a mind reader more than right now. She felt so helpless as there was more going on than what Kyra shared. There was something beneath the surface and Kassandra will find out what eventually, but now was not the time to press. She bids her a good night with a small rubbing on her back.

When Kassandra gets back downstairs, her mater was sitting back at the table with more letters scattered out.

"Kassandra, I thought we had more time" Myrinne speaks as she digs through the various papyrus scrolls, looking for something in particular.

"More time for what?" Kassandra asks confused.

"Peace" Myrinne responds, her eyes never lifting from her task.

"When have we had peace?" Kassandra astonishedly asks. "We must clearly be living in two separate worlds because what you just said doesn't fit what's happening right now." 

"You have no idea what the alternative is Kassandra. You think you've seen bad things, but it was only the beginning" Myrinne says ominously as she finds what she's looking for. "Compared to what it could be, right now we're living in a time with relative stabilization, but what just happened will surely shift the balance of power too far and we will descend into chaos."

"Is what happened the cults doing? Are they responsible for all of this?" Kassandra questions and she gets her answer in an affirming nod so she continues her questions. "I'm already working on their numbers and I've taken down three of them in only a few months. I can stop this."

Myrinne offers a sad smile as she gets up to take Kassandra's hands in her own. "My lamb, this is larger that even what you can do alone. Brute force will not fix this problem alone. Everyone you're able to strike down will be replaced so long as the right people remain on the playing field. We will need to hit this from multiple angles if we have any hope in stopping this chaos."

"What else can I do?" Kassandra inquires. "There must be something else, I can't allow this to fail."

"We need to have more key players recruited to our cause and our numbers need to grow dramatically. As I said, sheer force is not going to accomplish much. What we need are politicians, spies, people with sway and influence. That's not something you can do."

Kassandra is so focused on her mater that she doesn't hear the footsteps coming behind her.

"I can do that" Kyra's voice chimes in, surprising both Kassandra and Myrinne.

"Kyra! Are you alright? Did something happen?" Kassandra rattles off as she moves to stand in front of her, checking her over for her own comfort.

"Do not baby me Kassandra, I'm not a child" Kyra snaps and Kassandra immediately stops and steps back. 

"I- I'm sorry" Kassandra apologizes. It was clear Kyra had gone from dejected to angry within the blink of an eye. She had only wanted to assure herself that Kyra was fine, but it was clear that Kyra didn't want to feel coddled. Kassandra hadn't meant any harm by it, but it was clear now that her intention (however good in nature) had missed the mark.

Kyra's presence felt very cold towards her for some reason and she wasn't one to stay where she was not wanted. As soon as the conversation turned, she was going to excuse herself from the conversation.

Myrinne, having picked up on the growing hostility between the two, decided to take control of the conversation. "Come and sit Kyra, we've much to discuss if you're ready. Both of you."

Kyra goes to sit near Myrinne and Kassandra follows suit, but she places herself across from the two of them. As much as politics never interested her, it was of the utmost importance now so she would absorb as much as she could and she didn't want to get distracted being so close to Kyra.

"Kyra, I feel you could be one, if not the most vital part of all of this right now" Myrinne speaks with conviction as she needs Kyra more than she knows, but she won't pressure her. "I will warn you that it will not be easy and it carries an incredible risk so it is not something to be taken lightly. If you are found out, you could be killed on the spot."

Kyra doesn't hesitate before she answers, her mind already made up. "I will do it, no matter the risk."

Kassandra can't just keep quiet while Kyra agrees to place her life on the line without any detail as to what or why. Kyra can get mad at her if she wants, but Kassandra wouldn't allow herself to senselessly take that risk.

"Just hold on a second" Kassandra interrupts. "Before you go blindly agreeing to something you have no idea about, perhaps you should hear the details."

"My choices are not yours to make Kassandra" Kyra firmly responds. "I have a duty to my people to protect them at all costs and I've already failed them once, I will not do it again."

Kassandra is getting pretty tired of Kyra's combativeness with her today, but this is not something she's going to back down from. "There's a difference between doing what you must to protect your people and just blindly walking into a potential suicide mission. Be smart about this."

"Smart?" Kyra scoffs. "How many times have you "blindly" just thrown yourself into a battle without thinking of the consequences?"

"What I do in a battle is completely different!" Kassandra argues. "I am not given the luxury of thinking about consequences as I have to act immediately or someone could get hurt or killed."

"It sounds to me like you're a hypocrite" Kyra snarks. "We are doing the same thing and yet you only take issue when I am opting to do something dangerous."

"Enough!" Myrinne shouts as she slams her hand on the table. "Both of you are acting like children. I need you both to grow up in the next ten seconds before I throw you outside for the night."

Kassandra and Kyra both stop arguing and sulk down on their chair like scolded little kids. The irony of this doesn't escape Kassandra as she's getting the scolding she's missed out on growing up. Markos was never a disciplinarian and she was always free to do as she pleased as long as she helped Markos out when he requested it. Her mater on the other hand ran her house with an iron fist from what Kassandra can remember. It appears her mater's also catching up on lost time too.

"That's better" Myrinne speaks as she settles back down. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes, I remember. Kassandra, you must let Kyra make her own decisions as she's a grown woman, but Kyra, Kassandra is also right. You should never blindly agree to anything until you know as much as you can about the situation. That said, if I would've just been given another minute, I would've told you what would be needed."

"Sorry" Kassandra and Kyra both utter respectively.

"Accepted, now," Myrinne nods at their apology in an effort to get the conversation back on track, "what I need from you Kyra, what we all need, is for someone to be on the inside. I think you are the only one skilled enough to pull this off. You will need to establish yourself here in Sparta with King Pausanias. We know he is with the cult, but what he doesn't know is that you know this already."

Kassandra watches as Kyra furrows her brow at the outline her mater has set up. Kyra was smart, no doubt about it (even if she was being rash about it now) so if anyone could manage it, it would be her.

"How can I even get near him? We've never met before and I doubt he knows me from a random person on the street" Kyra points out. 

Myrinne, already aware of this, has already put it into consideration. "I am going to introduce you to him and you will take it from there. You've already laid the groundwork for this meeting by you allying with Sparta on your islands which can open up talks for a trade agreement. This will be the guise for our future work together and it will allow you to get close to King Pausanias and gain his trust. The risk is that if he finds out you're anything but genuine, you will be killed."

"I understand, but I still don't see how this will have anything to do with the cult. The man will not just profess his partnership with them so what's the play? There absolutely has to be more than this" Kyra questions and Myrinne smiles at Kyra's fast pace.

"It's clear you do not mince words and I respect that" Myrinne beams as she takes in Kyra's methodical thinking. "You will be in a position of influence as you both work together and, as any business relationship, one would want to know who they are dealing with and with whom they associate with."

Kassandra can see the wheels turning in Kyra's head. She won't even pretend like she's following her mater's train of thought, but by Kyra's reaction, she must have put it all together.

"Kassandra" Kyra speaks softly.

Kassandra, at first, thinks she's about to address her, but it is clear by Kyra's focus on her mater still that this wasn't the case. Kyra appears to have had a revelation by the look of it.

"You want me to discuss Kassandra and our relationship with him and use that as leverage" Kyra answers and Myrinne grins widely.

"Kassandra was right, you are indeed incredibly smart, well done Kyra" Myrinne praises as she lays a hand on Kyra's arm. "Yes, we will levy your relationship with Kassandra as bait, something he would be a fool to ignore. They already have Alexios so the possibility of even having Kassandra too will be to tempting for them to remain passive about. We may have to do more to prove the loyalty between the two of you later, but we can cross that bridge when we get to it."

Kyra continues where Myrinne left off, understanding exactly what she's intending. "By me showing I have a control over her, I will become a very powerful ally indeed. He would never allow me to walk away without some sort of agreement and I can use this to our advantage."

"Precisely" Myrinne practically purrs at Kyra's quick understanding of the larger picture. "It will allow us to enter in and then we can begin to dismantle them from the inside out. They are weeds and so far, all we've done is removed what we can see on the surface, but this way we could get our hands at the roots."

"You both speak of me like I'm an object" Kassandra interjects. "Do I have a say in any of this?"

"Of course you do lamb," Myrinne assures, "I will never force anything upon you, either of you, but I know you understand the importance of all this."

Kassandra looks towards Kyra and given their current tense state, she knows she should talk to Kyra privately about this.

"Mater, would you mind giving us a moment to discuss this?" Kassandra asks, her eyes never leaving Kyra's.

"But of course, it is already late and I should be off to bed. Good night to both of you" Myrinne bids them both a good night and heads upstairs to her room.

As much as Kassandra wanted to walk away from this earlier, she and Kyra do need to discuss this and she'd rather get it over now than drag this out.

"What do you think of her proposal?" Kassandra inquires, wanting to hear from her before she opens her own mouth.

"I think it is quite clever, I never realized how much of a strategist your mater would be, but I cannot argue its logic. It would pose some risks, but it is nothing I couldn't talk myself out of if the need arises. It also is better than anything we had planned" Kyra explains as she finally meets Kassandra's gaze. "What do you think of it?"

Kassandra is a bit relieved at how easily they're conversing now, but she quickly stops the thought as she doesn't want to jinx herself. "I can't say I love it as it appears that you're taking most, if not all of the hit if this goes south."

Kyra looks like she's about to chime in so Kassandra is quick to put a stop to it as she doesn't want this argument again. "To be clear, I don't mean that you're not capable to handle it because I know for a fact that you could. I just don't want you in harm's way and that's selfish of me, but I cannot help it. I never want you in danger and if it happens, I know I may not be able to get to you in time. You'll be in places I'm not allowed and I just couldn't bear the thought if anything happened to you. I know you can handle just about anything, but it doesn't mean I have to like it."

Kassandra takes a deep breath as she sped through all that in record time and found herself a tad winded. She realizes though that she didn't answer Kyra's actual question though so she remedies that with her follow up comment.

"However," Kassandra continues, "I do think it is a good plan and my mater is right that we need more help than just brute force and we are in good hands with you so as long as you agree to it, I will too."

"I was just going to say that you are sweet for being worried about me before, that's all" Kyra says and Kassandra is a bit taken back.

"You weren't going to argue?" Kassandra asks skeptically.

"No, not this time as I realized that you only said what you did before because you cared and I wrongfully snapped at you for it. I am deeply sorry Kassandra" Kyra apologizes. "My emotions have been all over the place and I took it out on you because I could and that was so wrong of me. I treated you coldly when you only tried to help."

Kassandra smiles warmly at her and decides that it's time they both just put this day behind them. She wasn't fully ready to accept Kyra's apology as it still stung, but she knew she'd be over it by morning so there was no use dwelling.

"How about we go to bed?" Kassandra inquires and Kyra nods in agreement. "It's been quite the day for us and I think we both could use the rest."

"Could I, now that Myrinne knows, sleep with you tonight? I mean, if you don't mind. I just don't sleep very well without you anymore." Kyra asks shyly to Kassandra's amusement.

"It will be a tight fit, you may actually have to be in physical contact with me for more than five seconds" Kassandra teases as Kyra swats her back as they walk up the stairs.

"You always jest at the most inopportune times" Kyra scolds playfully like their earlier confrontation never happened.

"Yeah, I definitely do" Kassandra says as she spins to push Kyra up against the wall outside her room, taking Kyra by surprise, “but you love me anyway."

Kyra smirks at Kassandra's boldness and laughs softly. "That I do, I do love you, very much."

Kassandra leans in for a brief kiss only as she wasn't lying when she said they both needed rest. There would be another night for the make up sex as they'd probably always have something to argue about, but for now, they were good and she was just as happy to hold Kyra in her arms.

The next several weeks passed by in a blur as they strategized their next moves and filtered potential allies for support. Each person had a list of tasks to do, sending them all over the region and, for Kassandra, to further territories.

Her mater had gotten Kyra an audience with the both Kings and Kyra was making quick work in gaining their trust rapidly from what she'd written about in their most recent correspondence. It was the whole reason Kassandra found herself in Messenia. King Pausanias had requested Kyra's assistance with dealing with the territory as it was in talks with key members of the political spectrum in Athens. Kyra, of course, knew how to play her cards right and she made it quite the spectacle to show her power. 

She had simply just requested Kassandra into the room and asked her bluntly to go and eliminate the threats to Sparta's border in front of the King. Kassandra obviously agreed without protest and before she could leave, Kyra strode up to her and kissed her before sending her on her way. It was the power move of all power moves and Kassandra couldn't lie, seeing Kyra like that was pretty hot. More importantly though is that it sent a very clear message to Pausanias that she was a woman of direct action and persuasiveness.

Kassandra couldn't be more proud as she made her way back home from a successful mission, longing to be with Kyra again. It was them against the world and Kassandra knew nothing could stand in their way when they were untied.

While Kassandra was away, Kyra had made quite the impression on most of the men that had any sway in Sparta. Her task was perhaps the most ambitious out of the three of them, but she knew she could get it done. It would take time for them to warm up to her, even longer as she was the only woman, but she would not let that deter her. If anything, it made her want this all the more as toppling men who have no right to be making decisions was one hell of a rush. 

Of course there were undoubtedly those who viewed her as a threat to their position and right so, but Kyra wouldn't let this slow her down. It came with the territory of being someone valuable and she knew all too well what madness it could drive one too. Fragile people like these are like wounded animals, willing to lash out at the mere hint of weakness to strike a killing blow. Usually this was more metaphorical and only careers and reputations were killed, but in the game Kyra found herself in, it could very well mean her life.

There was one man in particular who Kyra felt would be after her, a man named Aeschylus. He was the right hand man of King Pausanias and he had a pretty comfortable life until Kyra showed up. Once King Pausanias saw how she wielded her secret weapon (aka Kassandra), his tune changed from Aeschylus towards her. No longer was he his go to for a problem, it was now Kyra and subsequently Kassandra that handled the tasks. She assumed he was also a cultist so this would be quite the blow to trust an outsider to handle business instead of on of your own. Still, he had not made any outright threats towards her so there was only speculation on her part.

Kyra found herself away from the house more than not as she tried to get her hands in everything she could. It also helped her keep her mind from Kassandra as she was away in Messenia, but Kassandra was due back today so she cut her day as short as possible to be there to greet her. The thought of coming home to Kassandra in a house was a wonderful feeling and she didn't think she could ever tire of it.

For the moment, she was stuck in a meeting with the two Kings and select council members. They were discussing the Messenia situation as Kyra kept some information to herself to allow Kassandra the glory, but they knew enough to know it was safe once more. 

It wasn't but an hour into their session when the door beside her opens. A boy, no older than ten, appeared carrying a package of some sort and he looked like he was searching for someone.

She looks around at the others, but it appeared that they all were just continuing as if the intrusion didn't just happen so this boy must do this frequently. Still curious, she looks his direction.

His eyes search the room and when they connect with hers, his eyes get wide as if he recognizes her. It is strange as Kyra knows she's never seen this kid before right now, but she could be misreading the look.

She smiles sweetly at him anyway and this seemed to have encouraged him to step forward to the table. This gets the attention of the remaining men as Kyra looks back towards them, only to feel a tap on her shoulder.

She turns her head to see the boy beside her and before she can say anything, he speaks up.

"For your eyes only" the boy whispers to her as he hands her what looked to be a small scroll.

"What? Where di-" Kyra tries to ask about what this was, but the boy was leaving as quickly as he arrived.

Kyra looks down and sees her name etched in it and her confusion intensifies. What she first assumed was a mistake was most certainly not. This was specifically meant for her, but why?

Kyra looks back up and the boy was now completely out of sight, leaving Kyra sitting at the table looking perplexed. There was no way any of her associates knew her whereabouts in Sparta as she and Kassandra had not shared their arrival to many people. So this begs the question as to who this was from and why now? It was odd for her receive messages in this fashion as usually there were set messengers so this was especially odd that it was done by a child no less. 

Her curiosity was strong, but as she reached to untie the string holding it together, she paused.

The boy had told her it was "for her eyes only" and she was not even close to being in a private area. She was at a table surrounded by very powerful people who were now starting to look at her.

Unsure of how to handle this, Kyra stows the message for later as if someone worked this hard to find her, it must surely be important, but she had matters to attend to first.

"Apologies for the intrusion, now, what were the terms of Messenia again?" Kyra segways back into her meeting, but the lingering curiosity of the message remained.

Having satisfied their plan, Kyra excuses herself from the rest of the agenda as her mind is racing to read the message.

"If you all will excuse me, I have another matter to attend to urgently so I bid you all a good day" Kyra says as she stands up and makes her way out the door, leaving no room for questions.

Kyra returned to the house and found it still empty. She noticed a note pinned to the door advising her of Kassandra's return and that she and Myrinne had gone off to do some errands and spend some time together. It made sense as she'd usually not be home yet, but she wishes she would've gotten to see her.

They both would arrive shortly as she knew Myrinne was planning something big for supper to welcome Kassandra home and she would need to get it started soon if they were to eat it tonight. She figured by looking outside she had maybe an hour before they'd return so she knew she only had a limited window for privacy, but that was all she'd need.

Kyra unties the string around the papyrus the mysterious child handed to her and begins to read.

"Kyra,

You share a bed with a murderer and deceiver.

I write you this in hopes that it answers your unanswered question and shows you what person the Eagle Bearer truly is.

Thaletas did not disappear, he was murdered by the Eagle Bearer that very night of the celebration on the beach.

Be careful who you trust."

Kyra blinks hard, rereading the message over and over. For disbelief or denial she was not sure, but she felt like she was going to be sick.

This couldn't be right...

Kassandra couldn't have done this to her after all they've shared. All this time she's wasted on trying to find him...no...

Kyra stayed in a stasis until she registered the sound of the door opening as Kassandra and Myrinne walk in, happily chatting about their day. They both take in Kyra's disheveled appearance and immediately pause their conversation.

"Kyra, what's wrong?" Kassandra questions as Kyra was in good spirits from when they last corresponded so something must've happened at the meeting to cause this.

As soon as Kassandra takes a step forward, Kyra meets her gaze and there was no mistaking that something was very, very wrong. Kyra looked enraged, gripping a scroll in her hand with a death grip.

"Talk to me" Kassandra requests as she takes another few steps until she was right in front of Kyra.

Kyra couldn't speak now if she wanted to. So many emotions ran through her and it was taking everything within her to not break down right now. 

She can see the look of concern etched on Kassandra's face and instead of feeling warmth by it, she only felt anger.

Kyra takes the scroll and shoves it hard into Kassandra's chest, causing Kassandra to have to take a step back or risk falling over.

Kyra watches Kassandra's face while she read it and she knew that what was written was true by how Kassandra reacted to it. She saw as Kassandra's mind connected the dots and looked up at her with such guilt.

Kassandra had killed Thaletas.

"Kyra, I-" Kassandra tries to defend herself, but Kyra couldn't stand hearing any of her excuses.

Kyra eyes raged like an inferno in the dark and it was as if her body lost all cognitive control as, before she knew it, her hand connected hard with Kassandra's cheek in a deafening slap.

It was if the world stood still with how silent everything became.

Myrinne had thrown a hand over her mouth to hold in the shock, completely unaware as to what was happening. 

Kassandra on the other hand looked full of shame as she recoiled from the shock, her eyes pleading with Kyra's as a silent apology, begging for forgiveness.

Kyra felt as though she was suffocating, she needed to get out of there and fast. She needed air.

Kyra pushes past Kassandra, shoving her shoulder into Kassandra's as she storms by.

Kyra doesn't pay either of them any mind as she pulls open the door and wanders out into paths, following whichever one took her the furthest place from here.

Kyra thought she knew pain before, but this, this was excruciating. Her heart had shattered for not just Thaletas, but for Kassandra. The future they could've had, all scattered around her like broken glass, mocking her every step she took.

How could she have done this to her after everything they have been through together? It didn't matter anymore, nothing did.

Was anything Kassandra shared with her true? Was this all a ploy? Kyra finds herself crying uncontrollably as she aimlessly walks, not caring where she winds up but she knows she can't go back, not yet.

The thought of Kassandra using her like she was nothing more than a pawn made her sick. All those nights they shared together were all a lie and for what? To keep this a secret for so long? To allow her to look like a fool and search for him for all this time, knowing full well his fate.

Kyra slows her walk as she was beginning to feel dizzy so she finds a tree far enough from the path to remain out of sight and takes a seat.

Huddled against herself, Kyra allows herself to mourn the loss of Thaletas and her life as she knew it. 

With a crack of thunder, rain begins to pour down, soaking her instantly. Her tears melded with the rain droplets hitting her face like the gods were weeping for her too.

Kyra closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel every drop as it hit her skin with force, the winds picking up speed.

She was free falling into a darkness that she wasn't sure she could return from.

The scariest part? She didn't care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is going to volunteer to give Kyra a hug, warm blanket, and hot cocoa?


	20. Set Fire To The Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am *slightly* bending the rules yet again as I started writing the chapter and decided to explore something different that didn't fit with the original chapter theme I had in mind. I decided to tac another chapter on our total (to not take anything away from the main plot) and took a bit of liberty with this one.
> 
> The good news is that it still fits my band theme as Karmin was a cover band before anything else so it is "technically" from them even though we all know Adele did this (if anyone is keeping score). I may or may not resort to this a few more times throughout the rest of the story, but I know you'll all be good sports about it :).
> 
> Karmin - Set Fire To The Rain  
> https://youtu.be/-Ymm_ddTZW8

Kyra's world goes black.

Her chest feels hollow, void of life, but her heart pains as if a searing dagger was inserted within her. Her head ringing like she stood too close to a cannon after it's been shot, disorienting. An oddly unique mixture of feelings as she's never before in her life felt this way, but at least the pain kept her grounded as she allows her entire being to be consumed with grief. 

The rain intensifies and the winds pick up to a violent roar, a compliment to how Kyra feels inside. She can feel each droplet lash violently against her skin, wincing at those that manage to hit the right spots. Of course she couldn't have this solitude in the sun, no, no, that just wouldn't do. She had to have the wrath of the gods to contend with as well, her luck was truly remarkable. She knows she should find shelter, that she should go back, but her pride and self respect would not allow such a move. She could not face Kassandra now without falling apart. 

Conflicted would be a grave understatement to what she was thinking, what she was feeling. She was so angry at her for lying to her for so long, but she couldn't deny that she still loved her despite her horrific behavior. It was not something that would just turn itself off at will as much as she willed it so.

It was all too much, Kyra could feel her anguish and rage boiling beneath her skin, coursing through her body. She needed a way to release all of this before she exploded, so that's just what she'll do.

Kyra drags herself up so she's standing, her entire body soaked from head to toe, and she let's out a guttural scream. All the pain, all of the hurt amplifies within her voice as she continues to shout until all the air has expelled from her lungs. Kyra does not stop even though her lungs are all but pleading for her to. Her lungs burning, her throat of fire, but she persists and continues to yell until she's physically unable to anymore.

What remains of her voice is hoarse, in desperate need of a drink to soothe her aching throat, but she stupidly refuses to give in. She doesn't stop until her legs buckle beneath her, physically unable to hold her upright anymore. Her energy is drained like the light inside her. All that remains is a flicker of what once was. Like a candle being suffocated, she is the smoke that rises until there's nothing left. There on her knees she bares her soul to the elements as they take no mercy.

Kyra can feel herself losing consciousness as her body fights to stay present, but her mind wants to cave in out of sheer exhaustion. She does not want to face the world now and if she isn't awake, she can't feel this pain. She allows herself to slump backwards so that she's back on the tree, but she doesn't remember much else before she gives in and the darkness engulfs her.

Kyra begins to stir, not coherent enough to know where she is, but enough that she knows it has at least stopped raining. It is so incredibly bright though which doesn't make much sense given what time of the day it should be. She couldn't have been out for more than a few minutes so it's a bit perplexing. The brightness only seems to be intensifying, so much so that she has to blink her eyes a few times to adjust. A sheer contrast to what she last remembered seeing before she passed out. 

Kyra feels pressure at first, but within a few seconds she actually feels quite tranquil. As she gets her bearings and wits about her, Kyra can hear the sound of waves crashing against the shore which doesn't make any sense. Sparta was too far inland for water like this so she must not be hearing it right, but she's been around water all her life to know its sounds and there was little doubt that she was mistaken. There was only way for sure to know so she opened her eyes and took a look around. What she saw though was beyond what she could've imagined. 

She was home.

Kyra would recognize Mykonos anywhere and there was no mistaking that she was on her island again, on one of the beaches. How in the world did she get here? She has absolutely no recollection of getting here and she surely couldn't have slept through a trip like this, but yet here she was. The sun was high up in the sky and she can hear the birds above her. Still sitting, she runs her hands into the warm sand, feeling each grain as it passes through her fingers. 

Everything feels so real. Too real.

She can smell the sea air and can taste the salt in the wind upon her tongue. She can feel the heat from the sun encompassing her in a warm hug, something she's missed dearly. This all did nothing to quell her confusion, if anything it only intensified it more.

Kyra stands up, brushing of the excess sand as she turns towards the road. She may as well take a look around to see if anyone can help explain what's going on. The path she takes is all too familiar, one she's taken hundreds of times before. Everything around her seems to have remained stagnant in her absence, it was hardly like she left at all. That is, until she tried to go home.

Kyra walks the path towards her home, but something doesn't feel right. There are far too many people present than she's ever had and they're all men she doesn't recognize. She hesitates her steps as she notices something she didn't the first time. They're all wearing Athenian blue and there's an Athenian banner draped from the house. She most certainly did not give permission for this nor for the new guards. More importantly, why would they be Athenians when she sided with Sparta? There should be Spartan men, in red, patrolling, but there's no trace of them.

Alarms rang within her that there was something gravely wrong and that this was no longer her home. She didn't know why, but she knew enough to not get herself killed. She withdrew herself before she was spotted and retreated to the only other place she could think of.

Walking up the path to the Porphyrion cave was nostalgic, it is not a place she's seen the inside of since she was in the rebellion. Once they took over and killed Podarkes, there was no use for them anymore so they disbanded and went their separate ways having achieved their ultimate goal. Still, it was her home away from home with how much time she truly spent here. As she grew nearer to the entrance, she noticed she was no longer alone. Kyra could hear an echo of voices coming from within the cave.

Kyra's face scrunches in confusion yet again as she knew this place to be abandoned, but there were most certainly three or four different voices having a conversation. She thankfully still has her dagger with her so she quietly unsheathes it and advances into the opening. She stays pressed up again the walls of the cave as she moves and the noise gets louder the deeper she goes. There are more than four people, probably at least ten or eleven, but there's such a contrast in their voices that it's hard to tell. Kyra gets deep enough in that she can see the torches lit up and can see some men standing guard.

This all felt very familiar, but Kyra couldn't quite put her finger on why. Shrugging it off for now, she continues onward and is met with a sight that turns her world upside down. Here below her was her old crew, the men and women who helped aid her in taking down Podarkes. That's been done for almost two years now so why would they be meeting back up again?

If Kyra wasn't seeing it with her own eyes, she'd think she was hallucinating. There were people here that she'd sworn she'd seen die, but here they stood before her, alive and well. She moves closer to the ladder leading down to their main area to gain an unobstructed view 

"It just couldn't be..." Kyra mutters to herself in sheer disbelief.

"Kyra!" She hears her name being shouted from below. "It's about time you got here, stop skulking around and come give us a hand."

Kyra snaps out of her daze and locks eyes with Praxos, a true sight for sore eyes. He would know what's going on.

She almost free falls the drop in her haste, but catches herself last minute. It would do her no good to injure herself while there were still so many uncertainties.

"Praxos!" Kyra exhales as she runs forward and pulls him into a tight hug. "I'm so relieved to see that you're ok."

"Of course I'm ok, why wouldn't I be?" Praxos questions back as he returns the hug. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I- I don't know..." Kyra answers truthfully. "Something is wrong here, I went home and there were Athenians all in my home. How could that be?"

Praxos pulls back to look Kyra over, concern etched in his brow. "Did you sustain a head injury? What home are you talking about? This is your home."

"That can't be right Praxos, when I left the island months ago we had forged an alliance with Sparta" Kyra comments, hoping to jog his memory. "There are Athenians everywhere."

"We do have Sparta's help, you know this" Praxos mentions like this should be obvious to Kyra. "Speaking of, you're wanted in the war room."

Praxos doesn't linger and Kyra doesn't have any more answers than she started with, if anything she's only got more questions. Nothing makes sense, but someone here should know what the hell is going on. 

Kyra walks towards the war room until a familiar voice hits her and she freezes. It a voice she's not heard in what feels like an eternity, a voice she thought lost to the world. She rushes into the room, knocking over the man guarding the tent's entrance as she stands face to face with the ghost of her past.

"Thaletas..."

Here before her stood Thaletas in the flesh, hunched over their strategy table discussing tactics with his soldiers.

"Kyra, so wonderful for you to join us" Thaletas welcomes, motioning for her to walk closer. "We're almost ready to begin."

"But-, how-, you?" Kyra stutters out, the last word became more of a question than an observation at this point. 

"It's a little too early to be hitting the wine this hard, isn't it?" Thaletas comments with a small chuckle.

She didn't realize how much she missed him until he was before her once more. There were so many things left unsaid but now, for whatever reason, she was getting a second chance. Before she could register that he was real, she feels another person bump past her and walks towards the table.

Kyra, not taking that kind of behavior from anyone, turns around to give a piece of her mind when she's faced with yet another familiar face.

"Kassandra" Kyra allows the name she's grown so attached to fall from her lips and is met with a smile that's only meant for her.

"Kyra, nice of you to join us finally. You're not the queen yet so let's not pick up the behaviors just now" Kassandra teases like they're good friends. There is no flirtatious undertone in her voice and everything about Kassandra's presence around her feels like it used to be when they first met. 

She wants to reach out and touch her, but she's not sure what is real anymore. Kyra logically knows she's with Kassandra, well, was, but nothing about Kassandra's mannerisms would indicate they're anything more than friends. Thaletas, on the other hand, keeps drifting his eyes towards her subtly and his gaze is not that of just a friend. His eyes roam over her like she's a prize to win and it used to send chills up her spine, but now it just feels uncomfortable.

She does her best not to look at him for now until she gets a better handle on everything as this was just too much. She will be content with listening as the two of them discuss their plan of attack on Podarkes. All they discuss is something Kyra has heard before. Every suggestion a recollection of what actually happened whether it was successful or not, it still remained vivid in Kyra's mind.

"Since you and Kyra insist on taking the more cowardly approach," Thaletas argues, "my men and I will create a distraction to pull most of his forces away so you can strike."

"I will handle this" Kassandra offers. "I've already been in this place before so I know the layout."

Kyra isn't sure what came over her, but the words come out of her mouth before she realizes her error. "I can do it too, I know the place inside and out."

Both Thaletas and Kassandra look at her like she's grown a second head.

"When did this happen? When could you have possibly done this? Why haven't you said anything before now?" Thaletas rallies off all his questions, his tone getting more intense.

Kyra doesn't know what to say and even if she did tell them both the truth, neither of them would believe her. If she was going to not raise suspicions (anymore than she already has), she'll need to keep her mouth shut. It's obvious nobody else has the memories she does, she's not sure why she does, but it does seem that she's alone in this endeavor.

"Well? Care to explain why I've wasted countless lives when you knew the place?" Thaletas chimes back in, still expecting an answer.

"I-" Kyra tries to speak, but falls short. 

Thankfully, Kassandra steps in to cover for her, although she's not sure why. 

"She was with me" Kassandra interjects to Thaletas' disapproval. "It was for reconnaissance so you may want to apologize for your poorly veiled attempts at intimidation and maybe ask a question without jumping to worst case scenarios."

Thaletas glares between the two of them before he mutters something about "needing air," leaving only Kassandra and herself together.

"Why did you cover for me?" Kyra inquires, wanting to know why Kassandra was so willing to come to her aid.

"Men like him want control and it is pretty obvious he's not a fan of you going off script like that so I just thought you could use the back up" Kassandra shrugs as if this was all no big deal. "You don't owe him an explanation."

"Thank you, that was kind of you" Kyra thanks and Kassandra accepts it with a small smile before excusing herself from the tent.

Kyra knows she should be mad at her for what she did, but this Kassandra wasn't the same. This Kassandra hasn't made that decision yet and if she can prevent it from ever happening, maybe things will all turn for the better for all of them. She needed to take better control of the situation knowing what is to come.

Kyra exits the tent in search for Thaletas, knowing exactly where he goes to brood. The cave wasn't big, but when the Thaletas arrived she did her best to make sure they had their own section so the odds were good that's where he'd be.

She nods at his soldiers as they know better than to decline her access so they easily step away to allow them some privacy. She can spot him sitting on his cot, his head in his palms. He looks stressed, they all do, but being in charge carries its own burdens and she's the only one in here who can relate.

He senses her presence and lifts himself up so he is sitting tall, any show of weakness washed away from his face. 

"Thaletas? Are you alright?" Kyra asks while already knowing the answer.

That's the hardest part about whatever is going on right now is that she knows the results of their decisions. She knows he isn't ok and is concerned, but this time she also takes care to look for cues she may have not caught the first time. Granted this scenario has never played out before so she could take advantage and have a new conversation with him, which is exactly what she'll do.

"I'm fine Kyra, nothing to worry about" Thaletas lies, but Kyra will not call him on it.

"I was wondering if you had a moment where we could talk...about us" Kyra leads as out of anything she wanted from him, she wanted to know where they stood.

"What is there to talk about?" Thaletas responds, his voice lacking emotion.

"Lots" Kyra offers him a vague answer and that seems to be enough as he scoots over to make space for her. "I have had a lot of time to think about my life recently and I want to know where you saw all this once it was over."

"I will be truthful to say I haven't thought of it much as I feel it is important to remain focused on the present, but, it has crossed my mind" He answers as he takes Kyra's hand within his own. 

"What do you see for us? Let's hypothetically say we win and you get promoted to a general, what then? What would become of us? What is our future?" Kyra knows this is a lot to unload all at once, but she just has to know to set her mind at ease.

"I do see a future for us when we are victorious" Thaletas says as he squeezes her hand. "I will have gained glory for Sparta and would return home there once my duty was completed. I would expect you to come with me as I could not stay here. We would also get married shortly thereafter and have several sons as soon as possible to carry on my legacy. I would be away a lot if I were a general so you would need to raise the children, but they would report for their military obligations in no time so it shouldn't be too difficult."

Kyra did ask the question so any answer was fair game, but this was not what she expected. She's not sure what exactly she thought she'd hear, but hearing how she would be expected to give up her life to support his was hard to swallow. His role was important, obviously, but that didn't mean she would just abandon Mykonos to become a housewife and mother. There was more to her than that and it would be a crime against the gods themselves if she were not able to live to her fullest potential. 

"That is quite the plan" Kyra admits, having become overwhelmed by his answer. "Do you honestly expect me to just drop my life here to follow you?"

"You would need for nothing Kyra, I would assure that" Thaletas answers as if that was the problem, completely overlooking the actual issue with his assumptions. "You would no longer need to fight to survive, you would have a home and a family soon enough."

"Thaletas, I have a home and a family here" Kyra counters.

"This is no home and these men are no family" Thaletas brushes off her comparison. "Once this is all over, they will hardly spare you a word, yet alone consider you of a kinship. You would be foolish to believe otherwise."

"I see" Kyra responds, not wanting to cause an argument or a scene. What she did know was that she was seeing Thaletas in a new light and she wasn't sure if that's what she wanted anymore. 

Her memory of him was not based from any of this, her memories were good and showed him to be a good man. Not that he wasn't now as he was still him, just a more open version. Perhaps she had a good reasoning for never breaching the subject with him before, maybe she knew she wouldn't like the answer. Kyra had never noticed before how different he had become, recognizing that she didn't know him as well as she thought she did. Perhaps she just didn't want to know as she used to be a very different person than the one he fell in love with too. This conversation was going nowhere fast and she found she could use some air to clear her head.

"Well," Kyra stands abruptly and awkwardly, "I am going to go check on a few things so I will see you later."

Kyra turns to leave, but before she is able to walk away, Thaletas grabs her hand and presses himself behind her. An action that she should take comfort in and cherish, but it now only feels wrong. It is probably because she hasn't seen him in so long that she needs time to readjust to him, at least that's what she's going to tell herself.

Thaletas nuzzles his nose behind Kyra's ear as his grip around her waist tightens. "Since when do you walk away from me without a kiss goodbye?"

Kyra is spun around before she can protest as he plants a hasty kiss upon her lips. His facial hair scratches her face and his lips are chapped and dry. Nothing about the encounter was pleasant like it used to be. Still, she did care for him so she would go along with this for now.

She offers him a forced smile as she hastily retreats from his presence. How much she longed to have the time back with him, but now she cannot help but think it is cumbersome and a bit smothering. All he did was kiss her, it wasn't anything unusual for them to do in private, but she just couldn't shake this feeling of uneasiness. She couldn't quite put her thumb on it for what it was exactly, but it lingered in her mind.

Kyra exits the cave, not lying about needing the air. Once the sun hits her face, she instantly feels less dreadful, but still not like she used to be. If she was getting the chance to relive this all over again, she needed to get a better handle on what was going on and that started with her. Not wanting to risk going into town, she'd have to settle for sitting on one of the hills.

Nothing gave her clarity quite like a good view and Mykonos could most certainly be one of the most beautiful landscapes she's ever seen. Now that she's seen what else Greece has to offer, she knows this is truly a sight for sore eyes.

Now that she thinks about it, what if she imagined everything else? What if she just had a wild dream? That she and Kassandra never were, that Thaletas never died, and that she never truly explored. She has nobody to ask and nobody who could possibly understand. It poses a question though and that is, did she want it to be a dream or did she wish it was real? This all felt too real, but so didn't everything before she woke up on the beach. Each feel like they actually happened.

She was stressing herself out trying to think about it, so much so that she didn't even hear the footsteps coming up beside her.

"Kyra?" Kyra hears as she visibly jumps, having been completely startled. Her hand crosses over to her heart as she notices Kassandra standing beside her looking concerned.

"Gods Kassandra, you startled me" Kyra snaps a bit more than she intended to.

"I'm honestly surprised you didn't hear me" Kassandra admits. "I even made my footsteps louder to do the exact opposite of what just transpired."

Kassandra doesn't pay any mind to her tone it seems as she still looks over Kyra with worry.

"Look, Kassandra, I'm not in the mood for whatever this is" Kyra sighs as she presses on her temple, feeling a headache coming.

"Whoa," Kassandra steps back with her hands raised, "I didn't mean any harm by it. I'll just go."

Kyra looks at her and can see that Kassandra seems a bit hurt, but it's gone before she knows it. She should stop her from leaving, but she can't forget what Kassandra did. In the flurry of her emotions, anger is still very much present and she cannot just let it go, not now. She was too hurt to allow her to back in.

The next several days go by in a blur. Kyra finds herself more irritable as the days pass by and everyone is walking on egg shells around her in fear of her wrath. Everyone seems confused for her sudden shift in behavior, but none bother to challenge her on it. Well, except for Kassandra.

Kassandra has faced the brunt of most of her misplaced anger, but Kassandra isn't taking the bait. Kyra just wants her to shout, to get angry at her, to do something. Instead, she just keeps calm and continues as if nothing happened. That within itself causes her to be more infuriated at her.

Kyra finds she's spending more and more time outside of the cave (which is inherently risky), but she just feels so suffocated in its confines that she's willing to throw caution to the wind. She's never alone for long though as it seems whenever she sets off to be by herself, Kassandra is never too far behind. 

It felt like a game between them with who would break first. Would Kassandra finally snap or would Kyra relent and be nice for a change? Each time Kassandra came to speak to her, she'd lash out and Kassandra would just stand there and take it. Kyra did notice that her presence was dwindling each time she pushed her away. Before she'd stay for ten minutes or so and now it was only a couple minutes, give or take. She doesn't blame Kassandra for getting tired of her.

She doesn't know what's wrong and she's losing her mind. Her reality is slipping and what was up is now down and vice versa. The only thing she trusted was that the gods had a sadistic sense of humor.

Today was no different than the rest, a routine she'd become accustomed to. They worked on their strategy, but she felt as if her voice wasn't being heard. They didn't understand that she already knew the right answer to their problems. Nobody believed her when they could put together some convoluted scheme of their own. Thaletas was her largest opponent as her suggestion was obviously for Kassandra to handle this, but he just wasn't having it and, for whatever reason, her people weren't either.

It is ironic how someone can be surrounded by all these people, but feel so alone. 

Kyra sat at her usual spot, feeling considerably more drained than usual that not even the view could cheer her up. No, today she would admit to herself that she was falling into a pit of despair and something had to happen or she would lose herself for good.

She feels Kassandra's presence as always, but unlike Kassandra's usual commentary upon her arrival, she stays silent and just sits down next to her. Together they remain, neither of them willing to break this small bubble they were in. Kyra's lost track of how long they just sit there, but she finds she doesn't mind it today. She wonders why Kassandra still bothers with her after how she's treated her.

"Why?" Kyra means to say more, but all she comes up with is one simple word.

"I've been there too" Kassandra responds, understanding everything that was left unspoken. "Life can take you down a dark path and it is important to not let it consume you."

"You do not know my pain" Kyra answers, void of the venom that usually laces her voice. 

"I don't try to, it is not my place" Kassandra responds. "I just know what it is like to wake up with a darkness inside you that you can't run from."

Kyra looks over to Kassandra and notices her eyes appear distant, like she's transported back into the darkness she speaks of. Kyra remembers what she's told her about her past and how Kassandra has had to deal with it alone all her life. This reminded Kyra of exactly what Kassandra shared and an idea formed.

She desperately needed someone to talk to about this and Kassandra would be the only one who would believe her if what she told her was true. She doesn't want to add to Kassandra's pain now by dredging up memories, but is her only chance to have someone believe that she's not crazy.

"Kassandra?" Kyra poses her name to get her attention. "I was wondering if you would take a walk with me to the beach? There's something I need to talk to you about."

Kassandra seems to be back to the present as she stands up and offers Kyra her hand. "Of course, lead the way."

Kyra's nerves were in shambles, her hands even had a small tremor to them. She balled both hands into fists to try to make it less obvious, but it wasn't doing much good. Thankfully, Kassandra's eyes remained trained forward so she considered this a small blessing.

Kyra brought them to a spot next to some remnants of stone. She doesn't take a seat as this discussion seems like something that has to happen standing. She sets her back to the ocean as Kassandra stands before her.

Kyra steadies herself and takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "I don't know how to say any of this to you, but I don't know who else to turn to and you're the only one who will believe me."

"Kyra, what is wrong? Did someone threaten you? Did Thaletas do something to you because I swear I will-" Kassandra rants and Kyra knows exactly how this sentence finishes. It's exactly why she's in this mess to begin with.

"No! Thaletas didn't do anything, please, just let me speak" Kyra pleads and Kassandra's demeanor calms at her request. "I don't know if this is real or not, but I know things, future things."

"Like the Oracle?" Kassandra inquires, trying to get a read on where Kyra was going with this.

"Sort of? Maybe? I don't know." Kyra huffs as she's trying to be clear for Kassandra, but it's not an easy task. "I know our future, both yours and mine, and I know your past."

"Ok, I'll bite, tell me about my past" Kassandra challenges and Kyra doesn't hold back.

She tells Kassandra about Mount Taygetos, about Alexios, about her mater and pater. She throws out anything that may help prove her point, she even talks about the Wolf of Sparta, the cult, and Thaletas. By the time she finished, Kassandra's face is hardened. 

"How do you know this? Are you with the cult? Did they send you to spy on me? Answer me!" Kassandra shouts as she moves to stand right in Kyra's face.

"I know this because you told me all of this! I don't know how I got back here, but we've lived over two years from this moment and I know everything. Hell, I was even helping you and your mater in Sparta, you took me there to meet her as a surprise" Kyra explains and Kassandra's expression shifts at the mention of her mater.

"What do you know of her? Where is she?" Kassandra demands and that's when Kyra remembers that Kassandra doesn't know all of this yet.

"Naxos!" Kyra shouts back. "She's on Naxos."

"Why would she be there?" Kassandra poses the question, but it was more rhetorical than anything.

Kyra at least can take solace that Kassandra didn't lie to her about her past. Her reaction was too genuine to be false as she was caught off guard. "I don't know how to prove this to you, but I just need you to believe me. I have no reason to mislead you."

"Why would I tell you this? Of all people?" Kassandra asks, lost in a whirlwind of emotions.

"Because we are lovers" Kyra confesses. She can see Kassandra settle at that revelation so takes the silence as a nod for her to continue. "We had been for those two years, but it only got serious the past half year."

"You and I? Really?" Kassandra scoffs as she takes a step back. "Pretty bold prediction."

It clicks now as to why Kyra chose this spot. It was something she did subconsciously, but now, she knows exactly why. This was their place. This was the same spot where she and Kassandra had their first night together. 

A small blush crept up and she turned to her as she remembers the night and Kassandra senses the change of mood between them.

"It happens here," Kyra motions around them, "our first time together."

Kassandra doesn't say anything, but her glare is as harsh as Kyra's ever seen it. Kyra can see a skepticism in Kassandra's eyes, but she'd be skeptical too if someone just unloaded her past that she's never told anyone before. She just hopes that Kassandra listens to reason. Kassandra's reaction to all of this at least confirms she's not crazy like she was starting to believe. Kassandra had believed her, at least with information itself. She's probably still not entirely on board with how Kyra claims to have gotten it, but it's a step forward regardless. Still, she wishes that Kassandra would at least entertain the possibility for a "them" as Kyra knows that they both had felt something.

"I need to think" was all Kassandra says before she turns and walks away. Kyra doesn't try to stop her, she owed it to Kassandra to allow her the time to process everything. Kyra had gotten what she wanted, a confirmation, so the rest she could be patient for.

Kassandra, as Kyra expected, kept her distance from her whenever possible. Nobody else seemed to notice, but nobody else would have even bothered to care in the first place. Her talks with both Kassandra and Thaletas have grown increasingly tense and the two of them are almost always arguing. Kyra, to her credit, has calmed down, but even she could not get them to stop. Every time they would argue to the point of a boil over, Kassandra would always be the one to walk away. Every time this happened, Kyra wanted so desperately to follow her, but instead she remained put, giving Thaletas support.

It wasn't that she was choosing Thaletas over Kassandra, but she also wasn't necessarily choosing Kassandra. If this was her chance to redo everything, maybe she should entertain other ideas to what she wanted for a future. As much as she didn't want to accept it, her life with Kassandra had been chaotic and messy for almost the entirety of their relationship. Sure, they had their good times, but in retrospect they really were just like trying to mix oil and water. This could be her only opportunity to choose something more stable perhaps, even if it wasn't with Thaletas.

Kyra had never allowed herself to be consumed by a relationship before Kassandra so why should she start it again? If Kyra never acted on her attraction to Kassandra and if she leaves Thaletas before he journeys home, she will be a free woman. A tempting thought no doubt, but it was one she would need to consider as her entire future rests well within this choice. Simple, right? Well, as it turns out, it was anything but.

Kassandra kept up the almost silent treatment for what felt like weeks and where Kyra shouldn't really care, she found Kassandra had yet again nestled herself under her skin. Her thoughts roamed to Kassandra frequently and the more Kassandra pulled away, the more Kyra got pulled in. She could hardly focus on the tasks at hand whenever Kassandra was nearby, she was like a lit flame and Kyra a moth. Even when she was with Thaletas, all she could think about was Kassandra.

Thaletas had pressed for her to sleep with him on numerous occasions, but she just couldn't. He had grown irritated with her as she wouldn't tell him why, as how could she? "Oh, I'm sorry, but I was dating Kassandra in some other time and it feels like I'm cheating on her if I even so much as show you small affections, but I think I'm also dating you too." She'd sound like she's a lunatic. She also has a gut feeling that Thaletas suspects Kassandra is to blame for all of this because he's becoming increasingly hostile towards her.

It is no secret that the two of them never see eye to eye, but they usually could come to some sort of an agreement. Now, if Thaletas doesn't have his way, he refuses to lend Sparta's aid and Kassandra and Kyra are left to fend for themselves. It is incredibly petty and it risks all their lives, but he is too prideful of a man to see the err of his way.

Kyra and Kassandra both worked to cripple the Athenian support Podarkes had to leave him exposed and vulnerable, but it was not as easy as it was before. With no help from Thaletas, they were on their own.

"That boyfriend of yours is trying to get us killed" Kassandra remarks as the two of them walk along the shore, back from the ambush they had just survived in a desperate attempt from the Podarkes' men.

"He's not my boyfriend" Kyra responds.

"Have you told him that? I even mention your name and he's all down my throat" Kassandra shares.

"I didn't know he did that" Kyra answers as she really had no idea it had gotten so bad.

"Yeah well, according to our "less than friendly chat," Kassandra emphasizes the air quotations, "earlier today, he's accusing me of sleeping with you."

"Did you tell him you're not? I'm sure he could see reason" Kyra offered although she knew that once Thaletas had a focus, he would not let it go.

Kassandra doesn't answer her right away, not until they pass that familiar spot on the beach. "It was here right?"

"Yeah, but I don't see what that's got to-" Kassandra's lips are on Kyra's before she can finish her thought.

"Might as well match the crime I'm being accused of, no?" Kassandra whispers in Kyra's ear. 

Kyra feels all the sparks she's never felt with anyone else and her body becomes renewed with a sense of vigor. Kassandra's hand grips at her throat, a reversal of their previous roles the morning after. She's back her up into the stone. Hard. Kyra winces at the impact, but Kassandra doesn't let up her grip and Kyra is too lost in the sensation to care.

This was the complete opposite of their last first time, every action was laced with a small pain. Lips biting at tender flesh, nails digging deep enough to leave trails, and bruising on every inch of their exposed skin. There was no beauty in what they were doing, but it still remained beautiful as it was them together. It was messy and fast, but god was it euphoric.

Once they had both finished, completely spent of all the energy in their body, they slump down to the sand side by side.

"So, how was it compared to the last first time?" Kassandra asks a bit winded as she looks over her right shoulder to look at Kyra.

"More intense, but not in a bad way" Kyra looks over as she answers. "I'd say both were very, very satisfactory."

They both share a laugh for the first time in ages and Kyra feels a weight lifted from her chest that she's felt since she got back here. It seemed the solution to her problem was the same woman who caused it to begin with. It is funny how the one who can break your heart faster than any other is also the one who takes the most care in placing the pieces back together when it is broken. 

Kassandra is the one who stands first, helping Kyra up a little more forcefully than necessary so that Kyra collides right into her chest. Kassandra pulls her close to initiate a kiss when the two of them hear a snap of a branch from further inland.

Kassandra immediately spins around, her guard up on the defensive as Kyra peers over her shoulder to see an enraged Thaletas stalking towards them.

"I knew it!" Thaletas shouts as it was apparent he caught them both red handed. "How could you do this to me Kyra?"

"Thaletas, please, calm down" Kyra attempts to reason with him. "Let's just talk about this."

Thaletas was seething with rage at the mere suggestion. "Talk?! How can you expect me to talk when you're sleeping with Kassandra of all people. How could you do this to me? To our future?"

"I think you should just turn around and head back to where you came" Kassandra chimes in, strategically placing herself between Kyra and Thaletas.

"I will not take orders from a disgraced Spartan with no rank!" Thaletas shouts as he moves closer. "I knew I never liked you and know I know why. You stole her from me!"

"You can't steal what was never yours" Kassandra gloats, "Kyra has moved on and I suggest you do the same before you get hurt."

Kyra tries to interfere, but they only seem to have eyes and ears on each other. This is exactly what Kyra was trying to prevent from happening and she just expedited the process.

"Kyra is MINE!" Thaletas screams as he pulls out his sword and charges at Kassandra.

Kassandra unsheathes her spear and blocks his oncoming attack, trading a few blows of her own as they battle it out. Kyra can only stand back and watch the carnage unfold as her weapon was left when she and Kassandra were ambushed. The intentions of both sides clear, someone was not walking away from this.

Almost as soon as it began, Kassandra and Thaletas both froze in place, shifting their gaze to Kyra, their weapons still at the ready. Each of them had a dark stare and Kyra could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as it was directed at her.

"Why are we wasting our time on each other when we both know who the real problem is?" Thaletas poses to Kassandra, his eyes never leaving Kyra's.

Kassandra tilts her head his direction and slowly drags her gaze back to Kyra while wearing a devilish grin. "For once, I agree with you. What do you say we take care of this for good?"

"No, please..." Kyra begs as she backs away from both of them, only to be met with the water. They close the distance easily and Kyra is helpless to stop them.

She was trapped.

"I've heard you beg," Kassandra taunts as she traces a fingers down Kyra's jaw to over her lips, "you'll need to do better than that."

"Kassandra, please don't do this, I will do whatever you want" Kyra frantically pleads as she has nothing to defend herself but her words.

"Me? Oh no, no, I didn't do this to you" Kassandra corrects, "you did this to yourself. You ruined his life and you ruined mine."

"I'm sorry," Kyra sobs, "I am so sorry..."

"It is too late for sorry now" Kassandra snaps, holding her spear to Kyra's throat. 

"Thaletas is going to die and his blood is on your hands!" Kassandra yells as she removes her spear from Kyra throat and thrusts it deep into Thaletas' stomach.

Kyra watches in horror as Thaletas drops to his knees, blood pouring into his hands as he tries to put pressure on his wound. His eyes wide, still focused intensely on her.

"Kassandra, stop! Please, gods help me" Kyra implores as she moves to try to help Thaletas, but is grabbed by the hair and pulled back into the sand.

Kassandra looms over her and every ounce of her presence screams predatory. Kassandra was sizing up her prey and Kyra couldn't do anything to stop it. How did everything turn so wrong so fast? Her world was unravelling before her and she could only watch.

"You ruined my life Kyra, the moment I met you I was doomed to a life of mediocrity and unhappiness" Kassandra rants as she hovers above Kyra. "Do you think I wanted a love sick puppy following me around everywhere I went? I felt bad for you and I feigned an interest in you to divert from Thaletas. That was my mistake. I let you think you meant something to me, but you don't. You're no different from any other woman I've bedded."

"You don't mean that, I know you don't" Kyra makes a last ditch effort to save her life. "You love me Kassandra!"

"I can't love something I despise" Kassandra snaps back before she holds her spear to Kyra's heart. "You exist to me only as a pawn and you played the role well. Why else would I bring you along if not to further my goal? For someone so smart, you can be quite stupid."

"I will never forgive you Kassandra, in this life or the next" Kyra leans into Kassandra's spear, challenging her to make good on her threat. "If you do this, there is no coming back."

Kassandra crouches down so she's almost level with Kyra and she grabs the back of her head to keep her upright. "Time to wake up."

Kassandra pierces her heart and Kyra tries to fight to stay concious, clinging to Kassandra for as long as she can, but she can feel the darkness coming back for her. Her vision begins to spot and her limbs become too heavy to even move.

Kyra sinks back down into the sand, feeling the water lap up against her head as the same bright light bursts back into her vision.

Kyra gasps and jolts awake, scrambling backwards, but finds she can't move any further as her back is pressed up against something firm. It takes her a few panicked seconds to realize that she's someplace she knows, that she was back in Sparta. 

She was against the tree she remembers sitting under and she's soaked to the bone as there was still a storm raging. Her mind a flurry of thoughts, but the only one that mattered was finding shelter. She could recall the general direction she came from so she just had to hope that there was something to jog her memory.

Kyra is struggling to remain standing, both exhausted and waterlogged, but she presses on as a mode to survive. Surely she'd catch a cold if she stayed out much longer, gods know how long she was unconscious or sleeping or whatever that was...

It all felt too real, but it could only have been an incredibly vivid dream or hallucination of some kind. It was all too much for her to process so for now, she just needed to focus. Her body ran on pure adrenaline as the all too familiar home came into view and to hell with her pride, she just needed somewhere to rest.

Kyra doesn't know what makes her pause, but she stops dead in front of the door. She's not even sure she's welcomed here anymore after what transpired, but she had nowhere else to go, so she knocks. 

She doesn't wait very long before Myrinne opens the door and her eyes bulge at what a fright Kyra must look like.

"Oh thank the gods!" Myrinne looks towards the sky before she pulls Kyra towards her and embraces her, wetness and all. "We were so worried, Kassandra and I have been looking for you for hours!"

Kyra can hear the words, but her vision begins to fade and she can feel herself losing consciousness. She does the only thing she can think to do, her last cry for help. "I think I'm going to pass out" and she does just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this take into Kyra's subconscious during this dream sequence. I had a lot of fun with my last fic doing something similar so I thought why not give it another go? What was meant to be a short blurb turned into something else so I hope you enjoyed it :)


	21. Didn't Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surpriiiiiisssseee!
> 
> I'll be in LA for a long weekend as there is a Marina concert happening that I just could not miss (if you all don't know her music, you're truly missing out). That said, I won't be writing this weekend for obvious reasons soooo I decided to double time my efforts yesterday and today so that you all could have this early :). I absolutely love this chapter so much and it's provided me some much needed inspiration for upcoming stuff that I'm now very excited to put together for you in the upcoming weeks. Hope you all love this! 
> 
> I've also included a word/definition for something I used in the story as I had no prior idea of what it was called, but I wanted to be right for the era:
> 
> Strophion - a wide band of wool or linen wrapped across the breasts and tied between the shoulder blades.
> 
> Karmin - Didn't Know You  
> https://youtu.be/a5n_wsJTDcA

Kassandra had been scouring the city for hours for a sign of Kyra, but to no avail. It seems that she had vanished as nobody had mentioned they'd seen her when asked and, to make matters worse, a storm had unexpectedly started. Kyra was a smart woman, but it worried Kassandra that she may not be thinking rationally and she already feels guilty enough, she doesn't need her getting sick on top of that. She desperately needs to find her, even if Kyra wants nothing to do with her. She will even leave her home if that makes her happy, allowing her to have a safe space away. She would do anything for Kyra and having her walk away only solidified what she felt.

She loved her.

She was too much of a coward to say it before, when Kyra told her she loved her. She still stupidly refused to admit it to herself, but there was no denying it anymore. Seeing how she hurt Kyra broke everything inside her and she never again wanted to be the cause of such anguish. The pain in Kyra's eyes when she shoved the scroll into her chest. Kassandra could even swear she heard Kyra's heart break when Kassandra silently confirmed this all to be true. Kassandra got to witness first hand what real heartbreak looked like and it was something that could've all but been avoided. If Kassandra had just been honest from the start, she would not be in this mess and Kyra wouldn't have looked at her like that...

Like a monster.

Kassandra had become what she'd always warned Kyra about. She knew she would do something stupid to destroy this, but witnessing the carnage up close and personal was something Kassandra regretted deeply. When she broke hearts before, she did it with an emotional distance and an escape plan, but this, this was something torturously cruel. There was nowhere for her to run and she didn't have any more barriers up against Kyra due to her incessant persistence. She wanted Kassandra and wanted to know who she really was and she never ran, until now.

Kassandra had never felt such a pain before in her life and she's been stabbed on several occasions and even tortured a couple times. This was a different kind of pain. Something festering beneath her skin, but no medicine or prayers could absolve her of it's destruction. Her heart ached and she felt an overwhelming urge to want the world to just open up and swallow her whole. Certainly even at the gates of Hades wasn't as bad as what she was going through now. She just wanted to rip out her heart to stop the pain, but she knew she deserved it. Everything that was coming her way was karmic retribution for her past and she needed to accept it. She could feel sorry for herself later, but right now finding Kyra was her only priority and she would not rest until she knew she was ok. 

Kassandra was getting drenched and, so far, her search had been fruitless. She'd been at this for hours with no luck and maybe by this point Kyra had opted to come back due to the increasingly bad weather. It wouldn't hurt for her to check with her mater so she'd make a short pit stop and if Kyra was still nowhere to be found, she'd go back out. She really didn't want to be out in this weather, but she couldn't just sit still and do nothing. Kassandra summoned Phobos back with a quick whistle and the two took off towards home.

Kassandra arrives within a few minutes and she's met promptly by her mater who rushes outside to greet her.

"Kassandra, Kyra's home," Myrinne rushes to speak with haste, "but she collapsed in my arms and has been unconscious for a while."

"Take me to her" Kassandra orders as the two of them race inside.

Kassandra can see Kyra on the ground with as many blankets on as possible in front of the fire. She can tell she's still shivering and she's never seen Kyra look so vulnerable.

Myrinne places her hand onto Kassandra's arm in an attempt to comfort her daughter. "I didn't want to disrobe her for obvious reasons, but you should get her undressed and warm before she catches a cold. I started the fire, but I don't know if that will be enough."

Kassandra appreciates her mater's instincts with this and feels a bit better. "I will take care of her, thank you for doing what you've done already." 

"Of course, my lamb" Myrinne says as she gently cups Kassandra's chin. "Take care of her and I will go find something else for us to eat as cooking is out of the question. I love you, Kassandra."

"I love you too" she responds back, closing her eyes to feel her mater's touch. There was something about her that calmed her so, something only a mater could do she supposed. 

Kassandra waits until Myrinne leaves (having needed a moment to prepare for the weather) before she unwraps Kyra from the cocoon she's been nestled in. Her body is curled tightly within itself and Kassandra can see the toll this has taken on her body. Kyra looks exhausted and frail, a look Kassandra's never seen her dawn before and one she hopes to never have to again. 

Kyra's body is so constricted that she opts to use a knife to cut it up the spine of her peplos. She would pay to have another made for her, but she needed Kyra out of those clothes as fast as possible. Making quick work of the fabric, she then cuts unties Kyra's strophion and her underwear, tossing them haphazardly behind her. Kassandra quickly shrugs off all of her own clothes as well and quickly lays down and pulls Kyra's body flush with her own before she covers them back up. 

Kassandra knew she always ran on the warmer side and she found that she got hot much faster than others so Kassandra would use this to her advantage. She would warm Kyra with her body heat until the shivering stopped and then she would give Kyra back her space. There was no time for modesty here and nothing sexual was even given a second thought as this was explicitly to ensure Kyra got better. Kassandra would not speak of this to Kyra ever though, just in case.

Kassandra has contoured her body to match Kyra's and her arm rested around her waist. It took time, but Kassandra could feel Kyra's body tremor less and less until her breathing steadied out to a cadence that resembled sleeping more than chills. True to her word, Kassandra slowly begins to undo her closeness, but as she began to draw her arm away she could feel Kyra stir. As much as she wanted to stay put, she would not take advantage of Kyra's distress to be near her and she also didn't want Kyra to wake up with both of them naked. It was a conversation she wished to avoid so this was the best course of action for everyone if she were to leave her in peace.

As she starts to move away, her mater enters back in the house and looks at the two of them. She doesn't seem to be judging by Kassandra's nakedness, but her eyebrow lifts as if to ask the question "why are you naked?"

"Body heat" Kassandra whispers to bot wake Kyra as Myrinne nods.

"Clever girl" Myrinne offers in response before she turns around to allow Kassandra some privacy.

Kassandra resumes her movements and is able to scoot far enough back without much movement from Kyra. Pleased at the distance, Kassandra rolls over on the floor before pushing herself back to a standing position, brushing off the dirt that her now sweaty body had collected.

She bends to rewrap Kyra up before she heads upstairs to change. The house was almost like a sauna with how hot it was so she opted for something light. She didn't want to overheat, but she also didn't want to leave Kyra's side until she woke so she just settled with the bare minimum. She had no shame with her body and her mater had showed no concern with her lack of clothing so she put on her strophion and one of her skirts before returning.

She glances at Kyra, who still seems to be on a positive progression, before turning back to her mater who has taken a place at the table with some food. Kassandra can see she's already been made a plate so she sits down beside her and the two of them eat in silence. Kassandra would explain everything to her mater soon, but she would be lying if she wasn't grateful for some quiet and calmness. She's been going nonstop for hours and she's exhausted, but she would force herself to remain awake and vigilant in case Kyra needs her.

Kassandra looks to her mater once they finish and before she can speak, Myrinne holds up her hand to pause her.

"This conversation may need some wine" was all Myrinne's pause resulted in, but Kassandra couldn't disagree with her thinking. Plus, she could use something to calm her nerves.

Kassandra accepts the glass and takes a sip before setting it down, leaving it untouched the remaining duration of her explanation. Kassandra tells her everything in as much detail as she feels necessary for the story, but sparing some of the more intimate ones as that was a need to know basis.

"Let me see if I understand" Myrinne interrupts. "You went to aid her, ended up falling for her, and her boyfriend got jealous and tried to kill you. Do I have that right?"

"Essentially, yeah," Kassandra confirms, "but it's a bit more complicated than that."

Myrinne rests her hand upon Kassandra's and gives it a small squeeze. "Matters of the heart always are."

Kassandra moves her hand away, not feeling like she deserves the sympathy. "I didn't want to kill him, but he left me no choice. He came at me and attacked me first, I was only defending myself, but I should've just walked away."

"You know as well as I that some men cannot see reason, even if it is in their best interest" Myrinne offers the most sound advice she could to her daughter. "Thaletas sounded like an irrational man so it seemed inevitable this outcome."

"Still, I should've been better than that" Kassandra counters and watches as her mater just shakes her head.

"Tell me this Kassandra," Myrinne begins, "would you feel this guilty if he wasn't Kyra's lover at some point? Would you have felt this bad if he were only an ally?"

"No, I don't think I would have" Kassandra admits, weighing her mater's words carefully.

Myrinne believed as much so she continues her train of thought. "Now did you feel for Kyra this strongly when this all happened?" Kassandra shakes her head no, giving the answer Myrinne expected. "Then you did nothing worth beating yourself up over. You were both her lovers and Kyra should have known it wouldn't have ended well to string the two of you along."

"We had agreed to not tell him," Kassandra interjects, "we spoke of it the morning after."

"She knew exactly what fate she signed for you when she agreed to be with you, Kassandra" Myrinne tries to help her see that she's not at fault for what happened, but her daughter was as stubborn as ever. "You cannot put this all on yourself."

"I was the one who killed him, not Kyra" Kassandra defends. "I understand what you're trying to do, but she did not cause his actions, he did, and I did not make the right one when I needed to. I should have walked away from it and left him behind."

"You're being foolish Kassandra!" Myrinne's voice raises at her frustration. "Do you think he would not have stabbed you in the back when you walked away? Do you not think he wouldn't have hunted you down in his jealous rage? See reason Kassandra, please."

Kassandra bunches her hand into a fist and slams it on the table. "Enough! I am not having this discussion with you, end of story. I have to live with what I've done and, no offense, but you were not there. I have not shared everything so please, do not cast judgment from where it belongs."

Kassandra, after finishing her rant, immediately realizes all the noise she's made and quickly goes to check on Kyra. A small relief to see her still asleep so she places her hand to the back of her forehead to check for a fever. Other than the superficial warmth from the fire, she seems to have stabilized and was beginning to sweat heavily.

"I am going to carry her upstairs to Alexios' room so she can rest more comfortably" Kassandra shares with her mater. "Could you please extinguish the fire as it is as hot as Hades in here."

"Of course Kassandra, do you need a hand with her?" Myrinne offers out of a courtesy, knowing full well Kassandra will decline her.

"I've got her, but thank you and mater?" Kassandra lingers as she bends to cradle Kyra up into her arms. "I'm sorry for speaking to you like that, I just-"

"No apologies necessary lamb" Myrinne waves off her apology knowing she should've backed off too. "Just get her to bed and you should be going to bed as well."

"I'm afraid to leave her alone" Kassandra confesses, Kyra still held snugly in her arms. "If anything happens..."

"I will be up for a while anyway" Myrinne lies as she was not intending to stay up this late, but Kassandra needed the rest more than she did. "I will keep tabs on her while you rest and I will wake you when I go to bed or if she wakes up. Is that acceptable?"

Kassandra nods in agreement and she gingerly works her way up the stairs, taking caution to not bump Kyra's head on the narrow space. She gently lowers Kyra down onto the bed, removing a few of the layers to not overheat her. Color had returned back into her cheeks and her body was no longer so tense. All signs to a positive recovery and Kassandra would just have to be patient. She looks at Kyra like it may be the last chance to see her in such a manner so she decides to be selfish once again. Kassandra sinks down into a crouch and leans forward to place a chastise kiss on Kyra's forehead and brushes a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Please forgive me" Kassandra offers a soft plea before she stands back up and returns to her own room.

Sleep comes quick once she settles down, her mind having had enough of the disaster that was today. Tomorrow may be even worse so it would be wise for her to be rested. She trusted Kyra in her mater's care and her mater knows how much this means to Kassandra so she was confident she would wake her if something happened. She dreams of Kyra and happier times while her life unravels before her. Her reality may be broken, but she will always have Kyra in her dreams.

Kassandra feels a nudge against her waking her up immediately, her worst fears coming to pass in her mind. The panic must've been evident on her face because her mater is quick to speak.

"She is fine," Myrinne assures her, "I was just waking you, per your request, as I need some sleep before my meetings tomorrow."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kassandra asks while she wipes the sleepiness out of her eyes.

"Because I knew you would have protested and you needed the rest more than I" Myrinne responds with such a gentleness only a parent could understand. The urge to move mountains for your children to make their world easier, better. She would do anything for Kassandra and she hopes she knows this.

"Thank you again, I will go and keep watch" Kassandra says as she sits up and rolls her shoulders to get herself more awake and less tense. She knew she didn't have to do this, but she couldn't in good conscious let Kyra be by herself. When she woke up, well, that would be another matter, but for now, she was safe and Kassandra would make sure nothing else harmed her.

Kassandra had settled on counting the dents she could see in the walls when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Kyra was beginning to stir so Kassandra sits herself up a bit taller so that she's high enough to see over the bed. It didn't hurt that the bed started on the floor so there wasn't that much height to it anyway.

Kyra had been facing away from Kassandra, but she watches as Kyra rolls over to face her, looking content. An improvement over earlier that is for certain, but a shame that it will disappear from her face once she wakes. Which, unfortunately, was only seconds after Kassandra had that thought.

She watches as Kyra's eyes open and blink, most likely to adjust to the light that was filtering in. She blinks a few times before she shoots up in the bed, looking frantic.

"You're safe Kyra" Kassandra responds in a soft voice to not startle her more. Everything inside her is telling her to go and hold Kyra to keep her close, but she knew she was not welcome to that affection anymore.

"You..." Kyra trails off as she presses her hands to her eyes. "Where am I?"

"You're in my home, in Sparta, you're currently laying in Alexios' room. It is probably an hour or so after dawn" Kassandra tries to answer every question Kyra may have to help her from her disorientation.

Kyra removes her hands and her eyes roam the room until they settle onto Kassandra, sitting mostly naked on the floor nearby. Kassandra cannot place the look she's getting, but she'll let Kyra stare at her all day if that's what she wishes. She watches as Kyra's eyes squint, as if to confirm she's in front of her before she settles back and sits on the bed. 

"My head hurts something fierce," Kyra mutters as she winces, "and I seem to be naked."

"It looked like you hit your head so that's probably why and your clothes were soaked so they were removed when you were dried off" Kassandra offers the truth as she was done lying to her for the foreseeable future. "I don't think the town healer is awake yet, but I can go and find them anyway."

"That would be a waste of their time, I'll live" Kyra dismisses her idea, but Kassandra is determined to help her, but she does so with her eyes averted to not stare.

"I will go to try to find some ingredients for tea, that seems to work for people" Kassandra offers as she maneuvers herself so that she's standing. "Stay there, I will hurry back."

"No Kassandra, do not go digging for herbs. That's just ridiculous" Kyra, again, dismisses her attempts to help.

There's only one thing left she can think of to offer, but there's probably no chance Kyra wants to be touched by her, but she will offer it anyway. "I could give you a massage to, you know, help relieve the tension."

Kyra doesn't say no immediately and is clearly giving it some thought by how her finger rests upon her lips.

"Ok" Kyra answers, to Kassandra surprise.

"Ok?" Kassandra says back to ensure she didn't mishear her.

"Yes" Kyra answers again, keeping it short so Kassandra goes and sits next to her on the bed.

"Do you want to put clothes on? I can turn around" Kassandra offers politely even though there's nothing of Kyra she's not seen before.

"No" Kyra responds and Kassandra doesn't argue further.

"This will go easier if you lay down on my lap" Kassandra advises and Kyra, to her continued surprise, doesn't protest and lays her head down on her lap as instructed.

Kassandra doesn't want to read too much into this, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. It seemed that Kyra was receptive to her touch, but she didn't want to push her luck so she only touched where she needed to. She threaded her hand through the mess that was Kyra's hair and tried her best to not tug, but it had dirt throughout it so she must've been in the forest while she was away. Kassandra mentally scolds herself for not checking the forest as she thought she would find refuge in the city, but she should have known Kyra would be drawn to the forest for its isolation.

Kassandra keeps her strokes gentle as she runs her hand through Kyra's hair. Her mater had done something similar to her when she was a child and she remembered how well it worked so she would give it a try here. She would grab a fistful of Kyra's hair and lightly pull it away from her scalp. She did this repeatedly across all of Kyra's head until she heard a small snore escape Kyra's lips. Whether it helped or not, Kassandra was unsure, but if Kyra was asleep it must've done some good. She now found herself in a predicament as Kyra was on her lap and she couldn't move without risk of waking her. There were worst places to be stuck and with Kyra close, she wasn't going to complain.

Kassandra kept playing with her hair until her arm got tired an hour later. Giving herself a rest, she takes this opportunity to look at Kyra's profile up close. She seemed more relaxed, the crinkle on her forehead before was now smoothed. To the naked eye, she looked almost peaceful and calm, but Kassandra knew the truth and knew she was the cause of the frown that would rest here soon enough. 

Kassandra could feel her eyelids growing heavier by the moment. Before she knew it, she had fallen back asleep, her head lolling forward and her hand resting in Kyra's hair.

Myrinne walks past the room a bit later and a smile graces her lips at the sight. "Young love" she thinks to herself as she continues downstairs to make breakfast. She was sure Kyra would be starving and Kassandra was always hungry so she kept herself as well stocked as possible. She couldn't help but hope for the best for the two women upstairs as she knew this kind of betrayal. She's still never forgiven Nikolaus for doing what he did all those years ago, but unlike her situation, she had hope that the two of them could work this out. Didn't mean it wouldn't be messy though so she would do what she could for each of them as she believed that they were truly meant to be. You cannot force love, but you can give it a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Kassandra wakes to her mater calling for her for breakfast, but she feels a lack of weight on her thigh. Kassandra looks down and notices that Kyra was nowhere to be found. Kassandra gets herself up and walks down to see her mater and Kyra at the table. Kassandra's eyes search for Kyra's, but she keeps her head down, a very blatant attempt to ignore her presence.

She knew earlier was too good to be true and now she didn't have Kyra's grogginess to contend with. Kyra wouldn't meet her eyes and that told Kassandra all she needed to know. She was not forgiven (not that she was expecting it) and she was not wanted. She would've left immediately if not for the fact that she was starving.

They all eat in a tense silence, her mater doing her best to keep the conversation going, but even she gave up trying to make idle chit chat. Instead, she noticed her mater switched to work talk and that caught Kyra's attention enough to be engaged in.

"If you're feeling up to it, there was a meeting I had hoped you'd attend with me later today" Myrinne asks Kyra, knowing that she wouldn't say no for an opportunity to escape the confines of the house.

"I would love to" Kyra answers, neutral as ever which contradicts her words, but neither Kassandra nor Myrinne will say anything.

Myrinne just gives Kyra a smile before she shifts her attention to Kassandra. "Oh and Kassandra, I will need you to be here too. They requested all three of us so you need to make yourself free." 

"Uhhhh..." Kassandra draws out, knowing her mater did this on purpose. She waited until Kyra already agreed so she wouldn't back out once she had asked her. Well played.

"If it is needed Kassandra, you should be there" Kyra answers coolly, any warmth in her voice long gone.

"Fine" Kassandra agrees, not wanting things to escalate. "What is it about?"

"Does it matter?" Kyra all but snaps at her.

"It does if it is important" Kassandra bites back her irritation at Kyra and her sudden attitude, but she tries to remember why she's like this and takes a breath.

"Thank you for the breakfast Myrinne" Kyra thanks as she gets up from the table. "I am going to head out and I will see you later for the meeting."

Kassandra waits for her to say something, but she's met with cruel indifference and a door closing.

Kassandra slumps forward until her entire upper body is sprawled out across the table. Kassandra can feel tears prickle her eyes and she knows that she's going to cry. She rarely ever cried, but this ordeal with Kyra was excruciating already and it only just began.

"Kassandra," Myrinne speaks delicately at seeing her daughter's broken demeanor, "you once told me that, "sometimes the most painful things are the things we should do," and for you my lamb, that means first apologizing for lying to Kyra for so long."

"But mater, she won't even look at me anymore," Kassandra sobs unintentionally, losing what little control of herself that she had left. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"That is something you will need to figure out on your own I'm afraid" Myrinne soothes as she rubs Kassandra's back. "You must keep trying and after every failed attempt, you must pick yourself back up and try again."

"This sucks" Kassandra mumbles as she presses herself further into the table.

"Wallowing will do you no favors Kassandra, do not allow your grief to define you. Come," Myrinne lifts Kassandra's head from the table, "let's get you dressed for today."

Kassandra drags herself up to get changed and decides to get out of the house too. She needs to find a way to channel this aloofness she's feeling as it won't be productive if she just sits around and mopes. She will take a stroll through the streets and see if anyone needs assistance.

It wasn't much, but Kassandra was able to keep herself occupied until she needed to be present. She ended up doing housework for several of the older women in town, a job she would usually decline. Kassandra did not do housework like that, but beggars couldn't be choosers and she found it wasn't as awful as she was expecting. She dabbled in idle chatter, something she's not used to doing, but she found that with the right people that it's not so bad. The women had stories to tell about their lives and their adventures, she found this as payment enough as drachmae was interchangeable, but knowledge was priceless.

She had put off arriving until necessary as Kyra's indifference was not something she wanted to endure. Anger she could understand, sadness, etc, but Kyra's neutrality towards her was off-putting and unsettling and she didn't know how to manage it. She spots her mater and Kyra in a more heated discussion that, as she gets closer, she can overhear bits and pieces.

"You don't have to do that, it is dangerous" Kassandra overhears her mater say to Kyra.

"I thank you for your concern, but it has already been decided" Kyra answers back. "I have already agreed to help and I will not go back on my word."

"But Kyra, you can still be useful and not do this, please..." Myrinne's voice sounds like she's pleading for Kyra to reconsider, but the conversation abruptly halts as Kyra spots Kassandra.

Kyra meets her gaze, changing her tone to a whisper, saying something Kassandra cannot hear to her mater, before she turns to head inside.

Kassandra walks up to her mater, not wanting to waste time beating around the bush. "What was that about?"

"I'm afraid it is not my story to tell, lamb" Myrinne offers her a sad smile as she walks away to join Kyra inside.

It was apparent there was a secret between them and Kassandra would not usually care as everyone has a right to their own autonomy, but it unsettled her for what she managed to overhear. It sounded like Kyra was about to do something dangerous, enough for her mater to be issuing a warning. Kassandra needed to find out what before Kyra did something she'd regret. She would never say this to Kyra, but her emotions are not where they should be (and rightly so) which means she's probably going to do something stupid. Kassandra knows this because it's exactly what she does in these situations. With a heavy exhale, Kassandra joins the two of them inside and waits to hear what this meeting is all about.

"Thank you all for gathering here today" Aeschylus announces to the selected few that gathered in the room. "You are here today because there is a grave threat to Sparta that needs your utmost attention. The Athenians have taken back Paros from us and are planning to attack their surrounding islands in the coming weeks."

Kassandra's eyes widen at this news as that's right across from Mykonos, meaning Kyra's home faces a potential attack. Kassandra searches for Kyra in the crowd and she can tell she's upset by this news, but is doing her best to hide it. Kassandra knew her better and could tell, but to everyone else she seemed unmoved. Kassandra watches her as her fist tightens and loosens over and over, a way for her to keep in control. 

"This will need to be handled discreetly as our numbers out there are limited and we cannot afford to lose anymore men to this" Aeschylus lectures. "See to it that you take your orders and burn any trace, we must not let this fall into enemy hands or the consequences will be dire."

All of the people in the room give a verbal acknowledgement, and Kassandra does too, but she's not sure what this has to do with her. She thought the Athenians and the cult worked hand in hand, but then again, Sparta carried their loyalty too which is probably why this had to be discreet. The powers that be didn't want this little "mission" to be made public and expose them as disloyal to the cause. An interesting tidbit she'd share this evening, hopefully both Kyra and her mater had more to go off from. 

Kassandra got handed her orders and it seemed like she was going to be the force once again. They have requested she go to Paros and eliminate all hostiles, alone. This could either be a gross overconfidence in her abilities or a trap. It would help her more to know what everyone else's said, but she had no way of getting this information unless she had help.

She makes her way over to Kyra and her mater, coming up behind both of them and whispering quietly. "We need the others orders."

"Indeed we do" her mater responds as she watches the room. "Come, let us go somewhere private to discuss."

Kyra doesn't say anything, but she follows as Myrinne walks out of the room so Kassandra picks up the rear. For them all to return home so soon would be suspicious and she did not need them all thinking that they are being colluded against. 

Myrinne walks to the outskirts of the pillars before turning to the two of them. "You both must stay to not look if suspect. As for me, this confirms something I had feared so I must go and warn our allies. Whatever you both do, don't bring any unnecessary attention to yourself and you must remain united."

Myrinne gives them each a quick hug before she hops onto her horse and takes off. If this all wasn't so serious, Kassandra would've thought her mater was doing this on purpose so the two of them had to spend time together. Alas, fate just had other plans for her isolation and was going to force her to pretend that her world wasn't crumbling beneath her fingertips.

"You heard Myrinne," Kyra speaks to her, mildly stunning Kassandra, "let's go mingle." Kyra grabs her hand and intertwines their fingers, causing a rush of emotions to course through Kassandra. "And before you get any ideas, this is just for appearances."

And there we go, the blow Kassandra was expecting, but she would go along with this anyway because they needed to. She never wanted Kyra to fake caring for her and it stung that that's exactly what was happening. Kyra didn't even want to be in the same vicinity as her, yet alone hold her hand and pretend to be in love. Kassandra knew she wouldn't have to pretend herself so she would let Kyra set the pace to not overstep. This all just sucks and the timing of it all was just too coincidental.

"Ah Kyra, I'm so glad to have caught you" Aeschylus speaks as he strides up to the both of them. "There is something I needed to seek your advice on."

"Of course, ask away" Kyra responds, but Aeschylus shakes his head.

"Not here, this is something we must speak of in private," Aeschylus says as he looks over Kassandra, "alone."

Kassandra knows when she's not wanted, but Kyra's grip on her hand tightens so she stays in place.

"I do hope you'll forgive me, but Kassandra is to not leave my side after the attacks on the leaders allied to Sparta. You understand, don't you?" Kyra inquires, knowing he could not in good faith deny her this or else he would look suspicious. Well played Kyra, well played.

"Bu-" Aeschylus looks like he was to protest at first, but his tune changes. "Of course, one can never be too safe in such times. Please, follow me."

Kassandra smiles smugly at the man, knowing Kyra wasn't a fan of his only made it even better to pull a fast one on him.

"I hope I can count on your discretion" Aeschylus begins to lecture Kassandra, but Kyra cuts him off. 

"Do not lecture her on discretion like she is a child" Kyra scolds and Kassandra tries to hid her surprise at the turn this is taking. "Kassandra deserves the same respect that I do and I expect you to remember this moving forward. Am I clear? Or do I need to remind you of what I am capable of?"

Aeschylus' eyes bulge at the verbal thrashing he just endured and Kassandra has to fight to suppress a grin as this was not the place. Moreover, she was surprised at Kyra's boldness as it was clear that she was not a woman to be fucked with today. It was a shame they weren't on speaking terms because all Kassandra wanted to do was to explore this new side to her.

"My humble apologies Kyra, Kassandra" he looks to them both like he got caught stealing a sweet before dinner. "I requested to speak with you in terms of Mykonos as I know this to be your island."

"It is, what about it?" Kyra inquires.

"Well," he looks around the room before leaning in closer to the both of them. "I have word that there are enemies afoot on your land and I wanted to give you a warning. We've gotten word of Athenians heading for the northern most point of Mykonos and some that would be headed for Delos as insurance."

Kassandra feels Kyra's grip get deathly tight at the mention of this, but Kassandra doesn't make any movement to ease the pain. "And just how do you know this information?"

"I have my sources, I'm sure you'd understand if I didn't want to expose them to someone I barely knew" Aeschylus counters, a clear jab at Kyra's proclamation earlier.

"Thank you for the warning" Kyra smiles although it doesn't reach her eyes. "If you'll excuse us, Kassandra and I must speak."

Aeschylus doesn't linger and offers a small bow before taking his leave. Once he is out of sight and the door closes, Kyra drops Kassandra's hand like it had burned her and takes a step back. "I don't like this, something feels off."

"This is why we needed to find out what the others got told, but I fear his interruption all but ruined that idea" Kassandra complains. "Do you believe that the threat he speaks of is credible?"

"It is always possible as the cult is growing bolder by the minute, I need to warn Praxos first before he gets caught off guard. Would Ikaros be able to deliver something for me?" Kyra asks.

"You needn't even ask Kyra, of course you may use Ikaros for whatever you need. Just because we have a problem doesn't mean that I've stopped caring for you and your people" Kassandra confesses, but instead of making a breakthrough like she hoped, she's met with insufferable indifference.

"Let's not make this something it isn't" Kyra dismisses Kassandra's more hopeful outlook. "We do what we must for appearances."

"Kyra, please..." Kassandra goes to reach for her hand, but Kyra withdraws herself immediately.

"Don't you dare, Kassandra" Kyra's voice threatening something unknown so Kassandra knows it's time to back off. "You do not do what you did and expect me to pretend everything is as it was before."

"That's not what I wanted" Kassandra explains, ignoring the urge to just remain silent. "I just want us to talk."

Kyra was in a rare mood today so it seemed because Kassandra saw anger flash across Kyra's face and she knew she was about to have her ass handed to her on a platter. 

"And you think right here, right now, with all these people on the outside of this door, is the best time for that?" Kyra asks rhetorically. "For someone so well known for her strategy, you've clearly decided to let all logical thoughts be scarce today."

Ok, ouch.

"Read the room Kassandra! God, you are so dense!" Kyra shouts, her tone losing its discretion long ago.

Double ouch.

"Do you think I want to be here, with you of all people, pretending like we're just peachy and happy and that you haven't shattered my heart? Because I don't! I just don't..." Kyra trails off, realizing her voice was much louder than intended.

In a softer voice now, Kyra finishes her rant. "And now, because you couldn't just leave it alone, I now look hysterical and there is no way these people didn't just hear this entire argument so way to go. Why are you like this? Why can't you just let things be? Why does everything need to be pressed on?"

Triple ouch.

Kassandra had no words to defend herself. Nothing that Kyra had said to her was technically wrong, no matter how rude and uncalled for it was. Kassandra should've known better than to press the issue of them when so much else was happening. She was blowing her chances with Kyra and she had nobody to blame but herself.

"Look," Kyra says as she pinches the bridge of her nose, "let's just get this over with so we can leave. Alright?"

Kassandra doesn't dare speak as the last thing she wants to do is send Kyra on another tangent. Instead, she nods and Kyra opens the door for them to walk out of.

Kassandra scans the room and Kyra was most certainly right that some of these people heard their fight. Kassandra could feel their eyes pierce her skin with curiosity and judgment. This type of behavior never used to bother her, but Kyra had left her quite exposed so she cannot help but wince a little at the attention. It also looks like Aeschylus was one of the unfortunates who overheard them so she was sure he was having a field day with this new development. Politics were dirty and there was nothing more scandalous than interfering with a relationship.

Kassandra hovers near Kyra for appearances while she chats idly with a few men, but Kassandra instead watches Aeschylus. She sees him whisper to a man, nodding him over in her direction, before he continues his rounds. She didn't know what his game was, but she already knew she hated it. She'd much prefer to settle the score with her fists. 

The man Aeschylus was speaking with walks over closer to them until he hears a lull in the conversation.

"Pardon the interruption, but Kyra, I just had to see if it was you" the mysterious man says to Kyra who, from her facial expressions, knows this man.

"Darieos! It is such a pleasure to see you again" Kyra leans in to give the man a hug and Kassandra can tell she's already going to hate this guy. "What brings you to Sparta?"

"Ah, now that is a story within itself" Darieos chuckles. "Would you happen to be free later? We could catch up over dinner and drink, what do you say?"

It is official. Kassandra hates this man. It was clear he was a general which was not a title easily tossed around, but he seemed the type to brag. Who does this man think he is? Just waltzing up to Kyra like this as if they're old friends. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it. She most certainly knew they had not been romantically involved, but by how he was looking at her, it seemed to be a possibility he was looking into. He was a good looking man to boot and Kassandra just wanted to punch the pretty right off his face.

Before Kyra could give her answer, Kassandra cleared her throat to remind Kyra that she was indeed right here and that to everyone here, they were partners.

"Right, sorry" Kyra apologizes as she turns so Kassandra and Darieos have a clear view of one another. "Kassandra, this is a friend of mine, Darieos, the one who worked with me to ally with Sparta. Darieos, this is Kassandra."

"Her partner" Kassandra chimes in, noticing Kyra had opted to let that crucial piece of information be kept to herself.

"Ah, well, a pleasure Kassandra" Darieos extends his hand and Kassandra meets his grip and then some. She knew his game and she was not going to sit idly by as he tried to work his way into Kyra's bed. She knew his type, he was another Thaletas in the making and she was not about to have a repeat performance.

"You wouldn't mind if I borrowed Kyra for an evening then, to catch up on old times?" Darieos addressed the question to Kassandra, making her look like the bad guy if she said no. Well, little did he know she already was the bad guy so this would just add to the list.

"Actually, Kyra and I have plans this evening, terribly sorry, perhaps another time?" Kassandra wasn't sorry, not in the slightest. 

"Of course, silly of me to assume" Darieos gracefully recovers and Kassandra has to will herself not to roll her eyes. "Kyra, do let me know when works best for you and I shall make myself available."

"That sounds wonderful" Kyra smiles and all Kassandra can see is red. She knows that smile and it only is cute when it's directed at her.

Darieos takes his leave back to his former spot and Kassandra can all but feel Kyra's gaze burning into her. Thankfully, there were still plenty of people around that Kyra couldn't do anything about it. Not wanting to push her luck, Kassandra decides on an excuse to remove herself from this place.

"Pardon me, but I will have to excuse myself as I have something urgent I must attend to" Kassandra so eloquently lies and the only one who can see through it is Kyra.

Kassandra moves closer to Kyra and leans in to peck her on the cheek while brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "I shall see you tonight love." 

Kassandra doesn't wait for Kyra to protest, making sure to take large strides so that she exits in record time. Feeling the freedom that only fresh air can grant her, she opts to walk home and get some fresh air.

Once home, the sun making its decent for the evening, Kassandra takes to cleaning off the rug on their roof and lays down to watch the sunset. The gentle breeze was delectable with what warmth the sun still offered. A perfect day if she ignored her personal life, but as soon as the words cross her mind, she hears heavy footsteps below her.

"Kassandra! Get out here now!" Kyra yells thinking she's inside. "I'm not playing around."

"I'm up here so stop shouting before you wake the whole neighborhood" Kassandra groans as she sits up.

Kyra looked mad. Very mad.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kyra asks, her hands firmly planted on her hips.

"Watching the sunset, you?" Kassandra knows she's playing with fire, but she is willing to pick this battle for once.

"You know damn well that's not what I mean. Why did you decline Darieos' invitation on my behalf? You had no right" Kyra chastises.

"As your partner, I had every right to decline his blatant attempt at a date. It would be suspicious of me not to" Kassandra offers as a counter, but it was clear Kyra did not see it that way.

"It wasn't a date Kassandra," Kyra protests, "it was just a friendly reunion. You're reading too much into it and besides, it is not your decision to make who I decide to pursue even if that was the case."

Kassandra has had just about enough of this so she drops down from the roof to land in front of Kyra. "It is exactly my decision or did you forget that we are a couple to everyone in that room? Trust me, he wasn't just trying to say hello."

Kassandra doesn't want to continue this so publicly so she heads inside, Kyra hot on her heels.

"Trust you?!" Kyra exclaims. "Oh that is rich Kassandra."

"What do you want me to do Kyra? What do you want me to say?" Kassandra prods. "What can I do to make you stop looking at me like that? I've always been this person Kyra! I don't know what you want from me! I can't bring him back and I can't change the past. What's done is done."

"What's done is done?! Gods Kassandra, it's like I don't even know you anymore!" Kyra breaks down in a broken sob, her resolve shattered. "How do you expect me to trust you when you kept this from me? This wasn't something small, this was a man's life, a man who meant a great deal to me."

"I've thought about this for a long time Kyra and if I had to go back, I would do it all again" Kassandra had weighed sharing this truth with Kyra as this could be the last straw, but it was something she needed to get off her chest. She had made a promise to herself that there would be no more lies and she planned on keeping that. "Don't you see Kyra? If I didn't kill him, he would have killed me. I would have died that night. Is that what you want? Do you wish it was me that died instead?"

Kassandra lays out her hand and it was now the moment of truth to see what Kyra was playing with. As the seconds tick by with no answer from Kyra, Kassandra's hand looked more and more like a flop. Kyra's silence spoke volumes and just when Kassandra thought her heart couldn't break anymore, she feels more of it shatter. She needed to leave. Now.

Kassandra brushes past Kyra as she had been blocking the only exit and she could feel Kyra reaching to keep her here, but she would regret staying more than she'd regret leaving so she ignores her. Kassandra does her best to block out everything as she walks out, but she knows she doesn't have long before she loses control. She calls for Phobos who she's never been more grateful for with his constant proximity to her. He arrives in seconds and she hauls herself up and takes off.

The wind blowing in her face helps her to keep her free from any loose tears that escape her facade of togetherness. She needs somewhere secluded, somewhere she won't be bothered. A destination in mind, Kassandra heads for the outskirts of the city for a place she knows few can make, a place that once held a special memory. A place now that she can drown her sorrows in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please feel free to drop a comment because that truly does make my day as I love hearing about what you thought and felt for the chapter :)


	22. Acapella

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday all!
> 
> I want to take this time to remind you all before you read this that I do have "angst with a happy ending" in the tags so please keep that in mind. I wanted to give you all the courtesy before I go ham on your hearts and am apologizing in advance. I feel like you all knew this was coming at some point as I've been real light on the pain thus far and we're getting towards the latter portion so I've gotta put it somewhere. On a more positive note, I've brought back someone we've not seen since the early chapters that will be a big help in getting our gals back on track.
> 
> That said, I still hope you enjoy the journey and I'd love to hear your feedback on what you thought/felt.
> 
> Karmin - Acapella  
> https://youtu.be/h3M-_HJqgAs

Kassandra stands atop the tip of the long branch that overlooks Poseidon and the depths below, her eyes closed as she listens to the wind around her howling. The branch sways ever slightly with each gust and Kassandra fights to remain upright. The wrong move and she could easily fall below and come face to face with Poseidon himself. What was a routine jump, one she's done many times before, becomes increasingly riskier with the billowing breeze, but she remains steadfast and, most importantly, she keeps her eyes squeezed shut to hold back her tears. With no way to visually calculate her trajectory, she would essentially be throwing herself to the mercy of whatever gods may feel pitiful for her soul. 

Why is she here standing like this? Well, that's simple.

The rush.

The adrenaline of doing something stupid and risky gives her a sensation that jolts her body. It keeps her feeling alive, her heart pumping to make her feel something other than the pain. Her mind wasn't allowed to wander like it normally would and she could focus on only one thing, keeping herself steady. Anything was better than thinking of Kyra and all the mess that entailed. She just needed a moment to have a clear mind and this was the only way she knew how.

It's amazing what the human mind can do when the body is at a perceived risk. Logically, she knew she would be fine and would walk away unscathed as she was in no real danger, but what made this was the minute doubt that could spell disaster. Kassandra knows that even if she got hurt, she'd be fine in no time, but what if, for this one instance, she wouldn't? What if she had to face the actual consequences of her actions?

Kassandra did not wish herself harm nor did she wish to put herself in precariously dangerous situations unnecessarily. She may enjoy the risk, but she would never be so idiotic to place herself in a position to get actually harmed if at all possible. No, this was more of a metaphorical mind game with no real risk than one of actual consequences. She prided herself too much to allow her thoughts to delve too deep in that sort of negativity and nothing was truly that bad in the grand scheme of things.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean things still didn't suck in the now.

Kassandra is tired. The whiplash of emotional highs and lows were just becoming overbearing and it was taking its toll. Needing a cleanse, Kassandra opens her eyes, inhaling deeply as she looks towards the sky before taking the leap of faith into the cool water below. 

She allows herself to stay submerged as her body sinks deep and deeper. The water mutes everything and she's free, even if it's only for a few precious moments. Being underwater is like teleporting into another world, another moment of time filled with only silence. She can pretend that the world doesn't exist as long as she's down here. She is the only thing present in this bubble of hers and that suits her just fine. Sadly, she could not stay down here forever and she'd need to resurface for air, but while she could, she'd enjoy it. 

Allowing herself to slowly rise after pushing her lungs to the limit, Kassandra breaches the water's surface. She takes a slow inhale to not overwhelm herself and swims for edge of the water. As much as she would prefer to stay in, it was getting late and the water was quite cold so it was not wise to linger longer than necessary. It was bad enough that she did not have a spare change of clothes or anything really for the night. In her haste to leave, she overlooked some pretty important items so odds were good she'd have to go home before too long. Home meant Kyra and she just wasn't sure if she was ready for her again.

As hastily as she's been trying to win her favor back with Kyra, their last interaction left much to be desired. She didn't realize Kyra's affection for Thaletas ran so deep and for that she paid a steep price. Kassandra would have never posed what she believed to be an easy question to Kyra if she knew how much she loved him. She had set herself for a cruel and wicked failure, but perhaps it was best that the blow was dealt with. Best for her to hear the truth now before she made an idiot of herself. To think that Kassandra had considered telling Kyra she loved her...

What a fool she would have been.

It was clear to Kassandra that she overestimated her worth in Kyra's life. She wouldn't lie, it stung to be so wrong when she was invested, but better now than later. It just goes to show that she never should've allowed herself to fall so deeply to begin with. Nobody is ever the exception to the rule and she broke her code for Kyra and look at what that got her. Sure, she was partly to blame (ok, mostly), but she was willing to atone to her faults and work towards a solution when Kyra only wanted to run. 

Kassandra just couldn't make sense of why she was still so wrapped up with this after all this time. Thaletas had been dead for years now and she'd had ample time to move on and get her life together, but if he was her true love, it would pose as an answer to why. If Kassandra really killed the one she was meant to be with, it would be a grudge worth holding. As much as it sours her mouth to say the words, Thaletas could have been Kyra's person.

Kassandra was sure that Kyra loved her, at least Kassandra believed that Kyra thought she loved her. It sounded complicated, but people can convince themselves of just about anything if they put their mind to it so she was probably no different. Kyra saw and opportunity and made herself believe that she loved Kassandra when she didn't. It would make sense of what happened, as unfortunate as it was for Kassandra in allowing herself to fall for it. She felt sick as these various scenarios passing through her mind, each worse than the next.

Kassandra would need to be strong and keep this to herself. She needed to be like she used to be, only reliant on her and her alone. Gone were the days of sharing her feelings with her, that was a privilege that needed an immediate revocation. What good had it done her so far? No, she was done with that nonsense. Even though her heart was still bleeding, she would patch it up as best she could and move on. It will be difficult at first, but she will adjust. 

This meant she would not hide or run away like a coward like she did today. She would take the words at face value and allow them to just pass right through her. Kyra would surely try to get her close once more, but she needed to keep her will stronger. She had a job to do and that is all this would become. Kyra would be just another job and Kassandra would be able to move on soon enough. There was no shortage of issues so she could have her pick of destinations. That solo mission to Paros was looking better and better each moment.

As much as she did not want to face Kyra, she knew she had to and the sooner the better before she lost her nerve. She could not let Kyra know how deeply wounded she was by their last encounter. Kassandra would need to play the part as much as required, but no more, no less. She'd just have to be smarter about how she handled everything. In hindsight, she never should have gone along with this idea. 

It was stupid and rash, having everything hinge on their emotional stability. That's never been a strong point for her and Kyra doesn't seem like a strong contender either with her track record (although Kassandra knew she was to blame for the most recent one). Gods, what was she even thinking? Oh that's right...she wasn't. 

So wrapped up in the mild domesticity of their "romance," Kassandra was blinded from all the rational warnings and jumped in head first. Honestly, for someone who doesn't do attachments, she got caught up quicker than a blink. Kyra just had some way about her and it frustrated Kassandra to no end. She could just burrow her way under everything Kassandra threw her way and claim whatever she wanted. Gods know that Kassandra would've burned the world for this insufferable woman.

Kassandra's anger is still there, but there is no longer a numbness to it so she can feel the wind as her skin, covering her with goosebumps. She would catch a cold if she just stayed here tonight and while the benefit of being Kyra free was nice, it was not nice enough to get sick over. Making her decent down, she summons for Phobos and heads back home.

Kassandra could feel that all eyes were upon her as she slowed Phobos to a trot upon entering the city limits. The street was still full of people and Kassandra always drew attention. If any of the other townsfolk questioned her wet exterior, they at least had the courtesy to not say anything. She kept her chest up proud and changed her posture as she wanted to just get home without pause. As much as she enjoyed her time here, the people could be a bit much and she had a reputation of being generous so random strangers would stop her for every issue under the sun. She was not in the mood for any of that nonsense today and she knew exactly what to do to keep the prying eyes at bay. 

Her gaze and posture shifted into one she wore when she went to something serious. It was like a sign was hung from around her neck saying "speak to at your own risk." It sent a message that she was a woman not to be messed with and that's exactly what she wanted. She tried not to appear so off-putting as a general rule, but the look did have its uses. Intimidation is one hell of a trip. Nobody would (or did) stop to ask her for a ridiculous favor thankfully so the look that was set to kill seemed to do its job. 

Kassandra could tell her mater was still out by her missing horse, but Kyra's was very much present. Seems that it would be just the two of them for the foreseeable future. An unfortunate discovery, but it would be the perfect way to test her new found resolve. Kassandra frees Phobos for night so that he may roam to his hearts content and makes her way inside.

Kyra was sitting at the table looking a bit disheveled, but it was no longer Kassandra's concern. Her heart wanted her to go and hold her, squeeze her tightly to comfort her, but her mind knew better. She knew it was a trap to fall back into the cycle they had and she would not allow herself to be lured back in so easily.

"Kassandra, you're back!" She hears Kyra say as she enters the room, turning towards the kitchen to warm herself by the fire.

"This is my home" Kassandra responds with all the emotion pulled from her voice. Kassandra would not show Kyra how badly she was hurting which meant she needed to speak carefully. Too deep and she'd lose her control as the emotions were still very much running wild within her. Short and sweet it needed to be or else. 

"You're soaked!" Kyra points out like Kassandra's not literally standing in her own personal puddle.

Kassandra wants to just be sarcastic and have the back and forth banter she's accustomed to, but that will just make her lose focus. She would not idly banter with a stranger in this manner so she will not start with Kyra.

Withholding her initial response, Kassandra leaves Kyra's comment unanswered as she stands closer to the fire. She keeps her back turned to Kyra and allows the heat of the fire warm her from head to toe. She's perhaps a bit too close, but the discomfort helps keep her mind grounded.

"We should talk" Kyra says, her voice much closer than before. She must've gotten up when Kassandra turned away.

"It isn't necessary," Kassandra dismisses, "I understand." She would lie through her teeth if she had to so this would all end. Of course she didn't understand why this all happened, but knowing wouldn't change the outcome. All it would do is give her fodder to chew on and dwell upon.

"I'm sorry?" Kyra states, but it comes out more like a question.

"You don't need to worry, I will not allow your progress here to be jeopardized" Kassandra assures as she turns around to back away from the now burning sensation on her legs.

"I- what?" Kyra scrunches her face in confusion at Kassandra's answer.

Of course Kyra was going to make her spell it out. She never wanted to have to say what she's about to, but it was better for everyone if she stopped this foolishness. If Kyra wasn't going to own up to what she said (or didn't say) before, there was no use in Kassandra holding her tongue.

"Let's both be adults here" Kassandra begins with her fist clenched tightly to help will her though this. "We have been acting quite childish as of late and it should stop. It is clear that whatever this," Kassandra motions her hand between them, "was, was a mistake."

Each syllable Kassandra forced out was more painful than the next. Not to mention that Kyra's face actually looked like it was pained too so she was being tested on all fronts. She knew she needed to do this though and that thought alone would have to be enough to get her through this.

"I cannot undo the past, but you have my word that I will not harm your future anymore. You are free to do as you please and you are under no obligation to stay here, with me, anymore. I will keep up our façade and all that entails, but that should be the extent of our relationship." Kassandra powers through a bit faster than she probably should have, but she wanted this all to be over with already. "I believe it will be for the best for us both."

Kassandra doesn't wish to linger so she's moves to pass by Kyra to get changed, but connects with her shoulder. Kassandra stills herself at the contact and closes her eyes briefly at the sensation for only a second, but it is just enough. She cannot help herself for the spark that ignites under her fingertips as she allows her hand to gently touch Kyra's for a last small gesture of genuine affection. Every touch from then on will be calculated and for appearances only. It was just how it had to be.

Kassandra regains her senses and treks up the stairs to her room where she changes and allows herself the couple minutes for a break down. She muffles her dry sobs through her hands as thinking it was over was not even close to her actually saying everything she did. It hurt so much worse than she could've ever anticipated. She felt like she'd just been dragged over a bed of hot coals over and over again. 

Everything hurt, just so much.

"Get a grip Kassandra" she whispers to herself in an attempt to refocus. "You can do this, you don't have a choice. Head high, chest proud, and deep breath."

She repeats this mantra a few times to send the message home. What little good it does though because she doesn't feel any better. Pep talks are only as receptive as their audience and Kassandra's still not sure how to handle anything so she speaks the words onto her own deaf ears. 

"Stop stalling and get back down there, you can do this" she repeats in her mind as she exits her room and heads back downstairs to a now empty room.

Kassandra won't lie, it's a relief to know Kyra had left after what she said. The tension between them would've become unbearable so one of them needed to go for a limited time. Although if she were being truthful, she's still a bit disappointed that Kyra's gone in every sense of the meaning. She can't blame her with all that they've been though, but neither of them can run for long as they both have appearances to maintain. The real show will be when they head back to the court.

After their indiscreet outburst, all eyes will be on them to sell this and she will have to pretend she doesn't feel every kiss to her core. Kyra gave her butterflies whenever they kissed, it was a feeling she had grown to adore. They terrified her at first, her stomach all in knots, but the pros of the kiss outweighed any of her hesitations. At least, they use to. Kassandra wonders if it will still be the same, now that she knows the truth. Not to mention the fact that this Darieos guy has a keen interest in her.

Kassandra knows she has no right to be jealous, but her blood boils with the thought of him laying his meat club hands on her body. Just because she broke up with Kyra, didn't mean she wanted to watch it all unravel in front of her between the two of them. She knew she had no claim (and perhaps she never did), but her feelings weren't false in this scenario so the sting would linger. The only thing Kassandra had working for her was the fact that she was the bargaining chip in all of this so Kyra couldn't go too far off script.

Without Kassandra, there wouldn't be half the progress for Sparta so she knew her word carried weight. How far she's come from that frightened little girl, scrambling to understand life to pulling the strings on some of the most influential people in the world was behind her. If she refused a request, she would not be challenged as none had the fortitude to match her. They should, in all honesty, be grateful she's willing to play along at all. She could take everyone corrupt in that room out without breaking a sweat and be done with this nonsense. It would have some future implications, but nothing she couldn't solve with her spear. But no, she would play nice and play the loyal guard dog because she trusts in her mater and she does trust that Kyra wants the best for her people. Their love life may be in shambles and their trust broken with one another, but Kassandra knew Kyra would never jeopardize her people's best interests.

Complicated seems to have taken on a new meaning in her life and it didn't appear that it was going away anytime soon. What she wants to do and what she should do will come into the forefront and she will need to make a choice. How noble her intentions seem to be in retrospect, doing this for Kyra and her people and for her mater. Nobody had ever really stopped to ask her what she wanted. Well, what she wanted past all of the cultists heads on a pike. To her, what they were doing now was really only a smokescreen. She failed to see what real damage they could inflict by "playing the long game." It seemed like a massive waste of time, even though she agreed to it initially.

Politics. Yuck.

All this overthinking was going to give her another headache and she did not need that on top of everything else. Grabbing some bread on the counter, Kassandra decides to head back up to her room and call it an early night. She would be restless and would most likely toss and turn all night, but her room was her space.

Or so she thought...

"Kassandra, wake up, there's someone downstairs who you should see" Myrinne speaks softly to not startle her daughter.

"What? What time is it?" Kassandra asks as she rubs her eyes to get the sleep out of them. She must've fallen asleep shortly after laying down, a surprise given her prior prediction on a rough night.

"It's very late, but she traveled a long distance to help us so please, come down and greet her" Myrinne requests and overlooks the slight eye roll from Kassandra.

"Why do I specifically need to meet this woman right this very second?" Kassandra inquires. "Why could this not have waited until morning?"

"Come with me and you'll see" Myrinne motions for Kassandra to get a move on so, begrudgingly, Kassandra does just that.

Who in the world could be here that was so important for Kassandra to see right now? She mentally tries to tally and check off all the women she's met over the years, but nobody jumps out to her. Only one way to find out though and it's not like her mater would just allow her to roll over and go back to bed anyway. She may as well get this taken care of so she can go back to bed.

Kassandra gets up and heads downstairs, not caring about her rather disheveled appearance, when she notices a very familiar face staring at her from across the table.

"Phaedra?! What are you doing here?" Kassandra was astounded to say the least and she now forgives her mater for the intrusion.

"I came to help as, after all, I am Spartan" Phaedra grins at catching Kassandra so off guard.

"You are?" Kassandra asks confused as they've had numerous discussions and this had never been brought up before. "Since when? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I was born here, but we didn't stay for long and I spent most of my time in Mykonos, but my mater is Spartan and she got a letter from Myrinne here from Ikaros a week or so ago with the situation and so I've traveled here to help" Phaedra explains.

"I never realized our mater's were friends, small world" Kassandra responds, absorbing this new information. "But still, why would you come all this way? This isn't your fight."

"And miss an opportunity to spend time with the famous Eagle Bearer?" Phaedra teases as she leans forward. "Please, what kind of woman do you take me for?"

"I see your quick wit hasn't dulled at all on the voyage" Kassandra responds playfully. "Shame your looks did, tragic."

Phaedra holds her hand over her heart. "How you wound me so. Do you treat all your women this way? Kyra, I hope to the gods she doesn't talk to you like this."

Having Phaedra here was doing wonders for her mood already and it will be nice to have a familiar face to banter with. She wss so wrapped up in her discussion with Phaedra that she failed to even notice Kyra sitting off to the side, watching them both with a fervent interest, until Phaedra made the comment.

Kassandra turns her direction, but Kyra's face is unreadable. Her eyes seem hollow and her usual glow is missing, but Kassandra chalks that up to what happened between them earlier. Neither Phaedra or her mater know of what happened only hours ago so Kassandra waited for Kyra's move. There was no real need to keep it a secret that they were on unfavorable terms, but Kassandra wouldn't out them. She had told Kyra she would follow her lead more or less and that meant abiding by what she wanted here. Phaedra didn't seem to notice that anything was amiss and her mater would not speak out of turn so all Kassandra could do was wait for Kyra's answer.

"Her words are as sharp as her spear" Kyra answers plainly as her eyes lock with Kassandra's.

Kassandra understands the hidden meaning beneath the surface, but the dig goes unnoticed by the others and Phaedra continues on with the banter like nothing was wrong. Kyra didn't explicitly say they weren't together which didn't help her out any in navigating conversations about them. She would just have to avoid it as best as possible. The bad news is Phaedra was quite perceptive so it would only be a matter of time before she knew the truth anyway.

Phaedra breaks the conversation with a yawn, setting everyone else to realize how late it actually was. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to keep everyone awake with my rambling."

"Nonsense," Myrinne waves her off, "I'm just happy to have you here as our guest. Come, I'll show you to your room for as long as you want it."

An innocent enough statement, but Kassandra quickly realizes what else this entails. Phaedra was going to have Alexios' room which meant she and Kyra were going to have to share a bed or she was going to sleep on the floor. Literally every time she needs to have space from Kyra, the gods says otherwise. It seemed that Kyra put this together too based off her reaction, but she didn't protest the arrangement as they were ushered upstairs.

They bid each other good night, leaving Kassandra and Kyra standing rather awkwardly in Kassandra's room. Kyra's body language screams that she's uncomfortable and Kassandra's couldn't be too far from that either. Still, neither of them should have to be subjected to the floor or this will becomes a very long trip.

"I'm not taking the floor" Kyra comments like she's read her mind, taking her usual spot in Kassandra's bed.

"I wasn't going to ask you to" Kassandra defends, irritated that Kyra would even think she'd put her on the floor. Kassandra can be cold, but she still prides herself with being chivalrous. "If anything, I was going to take it."

"For someone who says that we need to grow up, you're being awfully childish" Kyra snidely remarks. "We're both adults as you so eloquently said, so just get in bed so we can be done with this."

Kassandra tightens her jaw at the tone to Kyra's comments, but she's technically not wrong. She's using Kassandra's own words against her, a smart move. If Kassandra wasn't trying to distance herself, she'd wipe the self satisfied smirk off her face. She couldn't drop her resolve on the first day though so, instead, she grinds her teeth and keeps her tongue and follows behind Kyra.

The bed was far too small for the both of them so as much as Kassandra tried to not have them touch, it was utterly useless. Half of her body was practically on the floor anyway so she might as well just roll off and have some space. Being so close to Kyra was suffocating, especially when she knows she shouldn't feel the way she does. How easy it would be for Kassandra to break and kiss Kyra senselessly, proving to her that she was what she needed, not Thaletas. It didn't help that Kyra was still quite sore about the Thaletas reveal so Kyra was already repulsed by her if her actions earlier didn't do the trick. 

She wanted to scream.

This cycle continued for weeks. Kassandra would wake in the early morning, feeling exhausted than when she fell asleep the night before. Her sleep was always broken and she was restless. She's lost count at how many times she's woken Kyra, but Kyra never commented on it, at least nothing she could ever remember. Her dreams were always unpleasant and unsettling, consistent nightmares plagued her. They got so bad most nights that she eventually just went to the floor so Kyra could sleep in peace. It had been a while since they've been this bad, it was most likely the stress of everything accumulating.

Kassandra always tried to be as quiet as possible as she leaves the room each morning to allow Kyra to sleep uninterrupted, opting to head downstairs until everyone else wakes up. She's usually the first to rise, but Phaedra always seemed to beat her. She asked about it the first morning it happened. 

"You're up early" Kassandra comments, deciding to sit beside her.

"This is my usual time to be awake" Phaedra shrugs. "It's best to hunt super early so I've been doing this for years now. Not even a trip away can change my habits it seems." 

After that, their morning routine would end in relative silence, with the occasional light conversation now and again. Phaedra usually was sitting at the table, a small candle illuminated around her as she read to pass the time while Kassandra rested her head on the table, occasionally dozing back to sleep. She would then shadow Kyra for whatever discussion needed to be had or, if she was shooed away, she'd go spend time with the locals and aid where she could. It was mostly with Kyra though and each minute seemed to drag on, especially when they needed to show any form of affection.

It's not like they were forced to parade themselves around, but they were the definition of a "power couple" and, with that moniker, they had expectations. It was in the details that this all could crumble and Kassandra would not be the one to allow that to happen so she tried her best to pretend that everything was fine. It was hard to be both affectionate and keep a respectful distance, but she made it work. Kyra played along for the most part, knowing what was riding on all of this, but Kassandra noticed that she'd be more distant with her whenever Darieos was around.

Kyra could deny all she wanted, but Kassandra knew his intentions weren't pure and that he was a threat to their mission. It didn't have to do at all with her being jealous of him because that'd be ridiculous. She was moving on and Kyra was not her concern anymore. No, this was solely for the fact that they needed to appear unified and he was about to undermine everything the deeper he dug. It seemed like he was everywhere they were now and it was starting to get on Kassandra's last nerve. Having to bite her tongue at his shameless come-ons and at Kyra for just lapping up all that attention. Anytime she tried to bring it up, Kyra would state how ridiculous the idea was and would end up shutting down any further discussion. 

In the end, Kassandra was always the one that would cave and each day became harder and harder to face. She thought she had done the right thing with Kyra, but the doubts crept in and the regret began to set down its roots. It was enough to send her to bed early most nights so she could stare at the ceiling and drown in her sorrows.

Today's beginning was no different than the usual start of a restless night, but upon Kassandra sitting down with Phaedra, Phaedra opts for a conversation this particular time.

"Wow, you look rough" she comments as she looks up to take in Kassandra's ghastly appearance.

Kassandra's eyes were more sunken in, dark circles apparent from her lack of sleep. Her whole demeanor looked exhausted.

"Ever so kind of you to point that out" Kassandra chuckles as she leans forward to rest her head on her propped up arm.

"I'm being serious for once, you look like you're in rough shape. Are you doing ok?" Phaedra asks in genuine concern. "I waited for you to tell me now for a few weeks and since you're not going to, I just can't sit idly by anymore."

Kassandra considers lying and saying that she's fine, but Phaedra was someone she could trust. She wouldn't admit everything, but she could give just enough that it may help.

"No, I'm actually not" Kassandra admits. "It's been awful for a while and I just don't know what I'm even doing anymore."

"You don't need to pretend with me Kassandra, you know I will not judge you" Phaedra assures her as she places a gentle hand onto Kassandra's. "Why don't we go for a walk and you can tell me all about it?"

Kassandra gives it some thought and it would be nice to have someone unbiased to share this with. She and Phaedra were not super close, but they were friendly enough. She also wasn't very close to Kyra either so she truly was a neutral party, one Kassandra could use as a soundboard. "I'd love that, thank you."

The two women take their exit and enjoy a leisurely stroll along the empty streets. It was far too early for anyone to be active, well, anyone beside themselves.

"So what happened between you and Kyra?" Phaedra immediately jumps in when they're far enough away from the house.

"Wow, you just get right to the point now, don't you?" Kassandra points out, finding her bluntness refreshing. "What makes you think she's the problem?"

"Please, don't take me for a fool" Phaedra scoffs. "You always look at her like she's the sun in your sky and now you look like you're living in a rain cloud. I noticed it as soon as I brought up her name the first night. It feels tense with the two of you even being in the same room."

"Nothing gets by you, maybe you should consider this as a career choice" Kassandra attempts to banter, but Phaedra isn't having it.

"Stop deflecting, it's unbecoming" Phaedra scolds and Kassandra immediately shuts up. 

"Ok, fine, you win" Kassandra mock surrenders as she raises her hands. "Yes, Kyra is my problem, but I can't tell you everything as it's not my place, but I'll share what I can."

Kassandra recollects their journey together and how they've gotten up to this point. Phaedra remains silent as she absorbs it all, her face remaining neutral so Kassandra can't get a read on what she's thinking, but she carries on anyway. "...and so she found out I killed her boyfriend by some anonymous letter and it's just escalated downhill from there. We fought, a lot, and I asked if she wished I'd died instead of Thaletas and she didn't answer me so I walked away and now I don't think she ever really loved me, but we still have to pretend to love each other as that's part of our cover story."

"That's all?" Phaedra inquires, not wanting to interrupt if there was more.

"Basically" Kassandra shrugs as they continue down the road. "This all happened within a span of a week and I just have felt awful ever since. I am just so confused."

"I don't want you to take offense with what I'm about to say, but do you maybe, just maybe, think you overreacted?" Phaedra questions and Kassandra feels very much offended by the presumption.

"I overreacted?!" Kassandra gasps. "That's like the opposite of what I did. She told me that she'd rather I would've died than Thaletas. How else was I supposed to take this?"

"Did she though?" Phaedra pokes at Kassandra's story. "What you told me is that she was silent so how did you get your answer from that?"

"It was implied!" Kassandra argues, her calm demeanor now fully lost. "That's not a question to remain silent to!"

"You're right Kassandra and I'm not saying she wasn't wrong for her silence, but I only have your perspective here" Phaedra defends. "I want to understand the entire picture to help you and that means asking the tough questions or would you prefer me to coddle you?"

Kassandra whips her head towards Phaedra at the veiled reference. "You think I need to be coddled? I've lived my entire life alone and I can do it now. It is bad enough that Kyra hates me, I don't need your false sympathy on top of it."

"False sympathy?" Phaedra repeats Kassandra's phrasing. "Do I strike you as the kind of person who would do that? Hmm?"

"Well no, bu-" Kassandra tries to speak further, but is cut off.

"Don't even try to turn this around" Phaedra argues. "I'm not just going to let you wreck yourself over this and if that's what you expected from me, we can end this conversation here. Otherwise, you're getting tough love and that means hearing things you don't want to. You can sulk on your own time."

Kassandra was stunned, having been thoroughly put in her place. As abrasive as her methods were, Kassandra knew she just wanted what was best for her. Still, she's not used to anyone but her mater and Kyra putting her in check like this. Not many would dare speak to her that way because she could probably snap them like a twig, but Phaedra wasn't like anyone else.

"Look," Phaedra takes her hand to stop them, "I don't say all this to be mean to you, but I care about you and only want you to be happy. I'm sorry if I came off a bit too strong to start."

"No, it is alright and what I needed to hear. If anything, I should apologize for snapping at you when you only wanted to help. You just caught me off guard and I got defensive" Kassandra apologizes too as they were both a bit heated right from the jump. "Kyra is just a really rough topic for me right now and I don't know what to do."

"You love her though, right? No lying to me, just a yes or no answer. If you had to pick a person at the end of the day, would it be Kyra?" Phaedra asks the question and Kassandra doesn't even have to think about it before giving her answer.

"Yes, undoubtedly" Kassandra confesses. "I am trying to convince myself that I don't, but not a day goes by that my heart doesn't ache for her."

Phaedra looks at her with a sad smile. "Have you told her any of this?"

It seemed like an obvious question, but things were just too complicated for her to just admit all this to Kyra. She didn't want to look like a lovesick fool.

"It wouldn't make a difference" Kassandra dejectedly answers, not truly answering the question, but not avoiding it entirely.

It looks like Phaedra has a comment, but she doesn't vocalize it and only nods in return. Kassandra knows there's something she wants to say and it's already been a dramatic day for the two of them and it's only just begun so she might as well press the issue.

"Just say whatever you're thinking" Kassandra prods. "I know that look and just spill it already, I can take it."

"Well, it's nothing bad, but just an idea that I was toying with to see if it may help you. Now, you may not like this idea," Phaedra clarifies before she shares, "but you asked. What if you tried to woo her back?"

"What?" Kassandra's face scrunches in confusion.

Phaedra looks at her and just shakes her head. “You seem pretty sure Kyra never genuinely loved you and I know you're dead wrong. As an unbiased third party, only someone who was blind would come to the same conclusion you think you did. That being said, I believe you can work to win her back."

"What if I don't want to do that? What if I'm fine with being alone?" Kassandra responds defensively and Phaedra has to stifle a laugh.

"And what if I'm the fucking Oracle?" Phaedra retorts. "Both are ridiculous and a lie and you know it. Stop being such a malaka and expecting your problems to solve itself. If you want Kyra back, you need to work for it and you need to do it soon."

"Has she said something to you?" Kassandra presses, her attention piqued at Phaedra's urgence.

"She doesn't need to, I can put two and two together" Phaedra comments. "You're practically handing her over to Darieos yourself at this rate! I've met him before and he is a smooth talker and he's a man who gets what he wants. I'd be surprised if they haven't slept together already."

Kassandra's eyes go wide at the insinuation and she has to physically take a step back at what Phaedra just shared. While she's been feeling sorry for herself, she's turned a blind eye to him and has tried to ignore him the best she can. Seems like she was right about his intentions after all if Phaedra was able to jump to this conclusion. The thought made her incredibly ill though and she didn't feel like talking anymore.

"I think I need to sit down" Kassandra says as she walks off the path and leans her back against one of the buildings until she slides down to the dirt.

"Oh Kassandra, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken like that" Phaedra immediately apologizes after seeing the sudden shift in Kassandra's demeanor. "I was being crass. I don't know if they have or not."

All the emotions Kassandra had been repressing were resurfacing and the air around her was getting thick and insufferable. 

"When did I become such a disaster?" Kassandra half jokes as she wipes away the tears that had managed to escape.

Phaedra crouches down in front of Kassandra and moves some loose strands of hair behind her ears. "When you fell in love I'm afraid. It is never easy, especially when it's love between two very strong willed, albeit stubborn, individuals."

"I don't want her with Darieos, but I promised her that I wouldn't interfere with her future anymore. How can I stop it and not break my word?" Kassandra looks on to Phaedra for advice and, luckily, Phaedra looks like she has another plan.

"You leave that little detail to me" Phaedra answers with a grin on her face. "Trust me when I say nobody wants Darieos in the picture so I will pull some strings to ensure that the two of you aren't ever very far apart, at least for a little while. I know Myrinne has mentioned you going to Paros so if that happens, I won't be able to help much, but I'll do what I can."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for all that you've done for me" Kassandra admits. "You've been exactly what I didn't know I needed."

"You can repay me by getting your head out of your ass and getting your woman back before it's too late" Phaedra answers with a wink. "Now come on and get up, I'm getting hungry."

Kassandra accepts her hand and, once standing, Kassandra pulls her into a tight hug. She was not a physical person, but it felt right and (if she was being truthful) it was something she needed to do. She's been deprived the sensation of touch and she finds that she misses it greatly. She misses holding Kyra's hand, holding her close, kissing her, you name it. She misses every part about what they had and Phaedra was right, she needed to do better and try to fix this. Even if Kyra ultimately declines her, she won't be able to live with herself without knowing she did all she could. She still has doubts about the pretenses of their relationship, but she doesn't know if it's founded or just baseless paranoia anymore.

It was only now that she realizes she'd been the fool all along after so desperately trying to avoid it. Even though her intentions were good, it doesn't change the fact that she did the wrong thing. 

Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phaedra coming in hot with the reality check! 
> 
> She wasn't originally planned for this chapter, but I'm glad I re-introduced her when I did. I had some pretty massive writer's block up until today when I thought of her and, after that, boom, words were flowing (thus why this was posted so late.) 
> 
> The next chapter will be Kyra's POV for all of this so there won't be much story progression, but it will help with the overall picture so prepare yourself for another 2 chapters of turbulence.


	23. Too Many Fish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone!
> 
> I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to comment. You all truly make a difference and I am forever grateful for your continual support.
> 
> As a reminder from my end comment on the last chapter, this will be Kyra's POV for what happened during Kassandra's chapter. I found Kyra's side so much easier to write and got a bit carried away so enjoy the added length. It even got me writing the following chapter as ideas were just coming left and right. I also introduced someone who I did not include in my last fic at all so I look forward to exploring their addition to all this. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this and please feel free to let me know what you thought! I'll also have an end comment on here that I would love feedback to so I can help decide what direction to take the story as we wind down.
> 
> Karmin - Too Many Fish  
> https://youtu.be/if97KVPoyH0

"I've thought about this for a long time Kyra, and if I had to go back, I would do it all again. Don't you see Kyra? If I didn't kill him, he would have killed me. I would have died that night. Is that what you want? Do you wish it was me that died instead?"

Kyra could pinpoint the exact moment they shattered to the ground. 

Her trust in Kassandra was under scrutiny and it seemed like all they were doing was fighting for the sheer argument, not to be productive in the slightest. Kyra knew she should've said something to assuage her, but she couldn't form the words. Her throat felt like it was tightening to the point where she couldn't breathe and she was on the verge of hyperventilating. She wanted to tell Kassandra that it was the furthest thing from the truth, but she couldn't make a sound. Instead, she could only watch as Kassandra recoiled from her silence.

Kassandra thought she could hide all of her emotions, but Kyra believed she knew her too well for that. It was only there for a split second, but Kyra could see the devastation flash across her face before Kassandra reigned it under control. There was not much that could rattle the mighty Eagle Bearer from Kyra's experience, but she was confident that she just single handedly dealt a crushing blow. 

Kyra watches as Kassandra leaves without another word and she knows that the end is near for them. She knew the damage this all would cause for her, for them both, but there was also the part of her who took a small delight in her pain. A pain Kassandra had no issue dealing her so why shouldn't she get a small satisfaction of knocking her down a peg too?

Kassandra had acted like she should be over Thaletas, but Kyra's only had a limited time to process this, yet alone grieve, where Kassandra has had two years. Two entire years to remove what little space he occupied in her mind. It was as if Kassandra felt Kyra should just get over it because she herself had already moved on. Well, news flash, that's not how this all works. She couldn't just get over it like it was no big deal and it was a wildly unfair assumption that she should. As much as Kassandra didn't like him, it still didn't excuse her from pushing Kyra into feeling the same. No matter what Kassandra wanted, Kyra couldn't just pretend this never happened.

What struck her deepest was that Kassandra had lied to her for so long. Not just that, but the fact that Kassandra would have just kept on lying if Kyra had never gotten that letter. She had no intention of coming clean about this and that's what hurt her the most. Kyra would never have taken the news favorably, but she could have been more forgiving had Kassandra told her shortly after the incident. So many opportunities Kassandra had to just tell her the truth and she didn't. That is what truly stung about all this. If she could keep something like this to her chest after all this time, who's to say what else she's keeping from her? How could she possibly trust that Kassandra wouldn't do this again?

Even through all the hurt Kassandra had caused her, she still couldn't find it within her to stop loving her. She was beyond mad, but that still didn't change the fact that she loved Kassandra deeply. Kyra didn't want this to all happen like this, in fact, she desperately wished for quite the opposite. She wanted a life and a future with Kassandra, not for them to disintegrate shortly after they got started. Kassandra had just asked her to be her girlfriend and now they were one shift away from a seismic collapse. This wasn't at all what she envisioned, but the life around them was burning and the damage was getting too severe for either of them to ignore.

They were like oil and fire, catching quickly while burning hot and fast. The only problem with that is that it wasn't sustainable and too soon they'd find themselves expunged without ever reaching their full potential. Every rational part of her knew this would only end in a spectacular disaster, but she ultimately was a hopeless romantic and chose to hold on for hope. How naive she really was, but love had a way of making you the fool without you noticing until it was too late. Even now she holds on to what little sliver of optimism she has of them working this out. Kyra will need time to heal, but she still couldn't imagine what her life would be like without Kassandra.

Unfortunately for her, Kassandra had other plans.

Kyra, lost within herself, was startled by Kassandra coming back so soon. Kyra was worried that she'd have run away like she always had done before, but here she stood before her. Kassandra didn't run and maybe, just maybe, she was right to hold onto hope.

"Kassandra, you're back!" Kyra says, more surprised than anything considering Kassandra's track record with conflict.

"This is my home" Kassandra responds, her voice lacking the warmth Kyra had grown accustomed to.

Kyra recognizes the borderline hostility and she can sense something bad is going to happen between them. Kassandra's body language is combative and Kyra picks up on how Kassandra turns her back to her almost instantly, like she can't look her in the eye. Kyra knew Kassandra must be hurt from her silence earlier, but now that she's had a moment to process everything, she can try to fix it. It was clear that Kassandra wasn't into speaking with her though so she would need to start small before she worked her way to the more serious topic they desperately needed to talk about.

Kyra moves closer to Kassandra and only once she's within a few steps does she notice Kassandra is sopping wet. 

"You're soaked!" Kyra points out.

Kyra didn't mean to just blurt it out like that, but Kassandra didn't bother with a response anyway so it didn't much matter. Her back remained turned as she just stared off into the fire. Kyra couldn't see her face very well, but judging by Kassandra's posture, she was tense. It also became glaringly obvious that Kassandra wasn't going to speak to her so she might as well just get to the heavy stuff as it couldn't wait anymore.

"We should talk" Kyra didn't like using that phrase if she could help it as it usually meant trouble, but she was hoping it would catch enough of Kassandra's attention to have her turn around. 

It worked eventually, but Kyra was not prepared for what followed.

"It isn't necessary," Kassandra all but dismisses her, "I understand."

Understands what exactly? Kyra hadn't said anything yet, but Kassandra looked like she already had drawn a conclusion. For what, Kyra didn't know so she said the first thing that came to mind. "I'm sorry?"

Kassandra still hadn't turned around, but she kept speaking on an apparent topic that Kyra just wasn't privy to. "You don't need to worry, I will not allow your progress here to be jeopardized."

"I- what?" Kyra was now beyond lost. Kassandra wasn't making any sense at all.

"Let's both be adults. We have been acting quite childish as of late and it should stop. It is clear that whatever this was, was a mistake."

Oh.

Oh no.

"I cannot undo the past, but you have my word that I will not harm your future anymore. You are free to do as you please and you are under no obligation to stay here, with me, anymore. I will keep up our façade and all that entails, but that should be the extent of our relationship. I believe it will be for the best for us both."

Now it was Kyra's turn to have the flash of pain etched across her delicate features. Out of everything Kassandra could've said, this was not at all what she expected. Kassandra was putting them to an end, for good from her tone. Kyra had considered herself at rock bottom, but Kassandra had just tossed her a shovel to dig a few feet further. She couldn't believe this was happening, she didn't want to. Kyra had always known Kassandra was it for her and she tried to show her that whenever possible so these cold words coming from Kassandra were unexpected.

Kassandra looks to be walking past her, just off to her right, but instead of just going upstairs, she stills beside her. Kyra can feel Kassandra's presence radiating next to her, she doesn't dare look as she couldn't bare to see her indifference. What Kyra does is feel Kassandra's hand touching her own, like a silent goodbye. It was gone as quickly as it happened and Kassandra went wordlessly up to her room. Kyra could still feel the lingering touch on her hand as she cups it with her opposite one and holds it to her chest. Kyra wasn't going to run off like she did last time because that turned into a total disaster, but she couldn't stay here anymore.

Kyra is grateful there's still some daylight left as she's gotten more familiar with the layout, but she still found herself getting turned around more often than not when she ventured too far. She didn't have a destination in mind so she just headed off, this time into town, she's learned her lesson about wandering in the woods after last time. 

Kyra forces a smile as she passes the various vendors and, after the seventh or so time she's been stopped for small talk, she realizes that this wasn't a very good idea. She's made a name for herself here and people want to get to know her. She doesn't blame them, but now is definitely not the time to start. She doesn't feel sound of mind and she'd hate to do something daft because she was too emotional. She decides to face the music and just return back to the house and she will just keep her distance as best she could.

She had managed to cover a good bit of ground so she'd have a bit of backpedaling to do, but it wasn't too far off the beaten path. It gave her some time to get her thinking about the nature of their relationship to begin with. It wasn't lost on her that Kassandra had never told her that she loved her. Kyra had lost track of how freely she expressed this, but Kassandra had never returned it. At first, Kyra had chalked it up to her being afraid, but after what's happened lately, she wondered if perhaps Kassandra never felt that way at all. Kyra thought she had seen the signs that Kassandra loved her, but it could have been her own love blinding her to the truth. 

Kyra could entertain that she may have just thought there was more than there actually was to them, although she prays it is not the truth. Kassandra had always been resistant and fought her on just about everything she tried to do for her. It wasn't outside the realm of possibilities that Kassandra was indirectly telling her she wasn't invested from the start. In fact, she only ever got Kassandra to open up when she forced her hand. Kyra would walk away and, only then, did Kassandra have a change of heart. Rather suspect now that she's stepped back from the situation and can see it from a new perspective.

Kassandra had, yet again, shredded her heart in the blink of an eye and she couldn't do anything about it. If she weren't so distraught by it all, she'd probably find some humor in the fact that Kassandra's lie started all this and yet she was very person who ended their relationship. Kyra had given Kassandra her heart on a silver platter and Kassandra had casted it aside like it was scraps. 

When did she become such a mess?

Not enough wine in the world could help her answer that question so she would just have to suffer in silence. It was abundantly clear that Kassandra had changed and was no longer someone Kyra could recognize anymore so she needed to accept this. It didn't matter if she didn't want to because it was happening anyway whether she liked it or not.

Kyra took her time on the walk, keeping a slow pace. It was slow enough that by the time she got back, there was only a low glow of a sun setting for the night. The sight of Kassandra's home was bittersweet, but she did not have any other option at the moment. Hopefully an opportunity would present itself so she could gracefully bow out without arising suspicion. She's been gone for an abundant time as it was and it was time for her to stop chasing this fantasy and get back to her reality. She would miss the life she'd been allowed on this journey, but it was not one worth taking if Kassandra was not at her side. 

Kyra enters to find that Kassandra was not present downstairs so she was either in her room or out gallivanting the town. Curious, Kyra quietly makes her way upstairs and peers into Kassandra's room where she sees her in what must be a nightmare as her body was writhing a bit. Kyra would wake her, but she remembers what happened last time and she also didn't think Kassandra would appreciate it. As torn as Kyra was about them, she didn't wish for Kassandra to suffer so. Still, she would respect Kassandra's wishes for them to remain "professional" and that meant no touching unless it was necessary. Thankfully, she hears the door again and assumes Myrinne was now home, a welcomed distraction.

Kyra got more than what she expected as she made her way back downstairs to find no just Myrinne, but someone that was very familiar to Kyra.

"Phaedra?" Kyra questions in disbelief. "What a pleasant surprise! What brings you to the area?"

Phaedra moves closer to her until they both are close enough to embrace. Kyra is overjoyed to see someone from home as she had been feeling more and more out of place here so hopefully this helped her feel more at ease. 

"Same thing as you obviously" Phaedra says as she pulls her into a tight hug. "Helping out those I care about. Enough about me though, where's Kassandra? I was hoping to say hello."

"Kyra, is she upstairs?" Myrinne asks as she busies herself in the kitchen.

"Yeah, she's sleeping, but I think she's having nightmares again" Kyra confides to Myrinne who looks a bit sadder from the news.

"I thought she was getting better" Myrinne shares as she stops what she's doing and wipes off her hands. "I will go wake her as I'm sure she wants to greet Phaedra."

Kyra doesn't protest and takes the seat furthest away from the stairs. As she waits for the two of them, she can feel the weight of the day taking its toll and feels tired in a matter of moments. She would stay for a few minutes for appearances, but she would excuse herself soon after as she wanted to allow them the time to catch up. Myrinne was under the impression that they were both friends so Kyra would give them the space to reconnect.

Kyra watches as an equally tired looking Kassandra trots downstairs, her face lighting up at seeing the familiar woman. It wasn't long ago that Kyra was on the receiving end of one of those smiles, a sight to truly behold. Kyra watches as the two of them banter like no time has passed and she was fine being a wallflower to this interaction until she's inadvertently pulled back in.

"I see your quick wit hasn't dulled at all on the voyage" Kassandra responds playfully to Phaedra. "Shame your looks did, tragic."

Phaedra holds her hand over her heart. "How you wound me so. Do you treat all your women this way? Kyra, I hope to the gods she doesn't talk to you like this."

Kyra was caught off guard by the question and it seemed Kassandra was as well as the smile fell from her face. Kyra didn't even think Kassandra knew she was even at the table this entire time and Kassandra's poor reaction was enough to confirm it She now had everyone's attention though so she needed to give an answer, but she wasn't sure what she should say. If she goes a long with it, the assumption will be that they are together, but if she correct them, it will be an interrogation.

"Her words are as sharp as her spear" Kyra answers as nonchalant as possible to not have them pry any deeper into her small dig. She knew Kassandra got the message though as she could see her jaw tense. Luckily for her, everyone else was too tired to notice.

Phaedra breaks the lulled silence with a yawn and Myrinne offers to show Phaedra to her room. At first, it didn't strike Kyra as anything odd until she saw Kassandra shift and that her wide eyed gaze fell upon her. It only then clicked that the "spare room" Myrinne was referring to was Kyra's room and that meant that Kassandra and Kyra had to share. She should speak up to stop them, but she doesn't. Instead, she gets up and follows them up the stairs until she and Kassandra are left together in her small room.

Fates would be so cruel to have her share a bed with a woman who has hurt her repeatedly. Nothing could ever go smoothly in her life and it was just time to accept that anything that could go wrong, would go wrong. It didn't make her anymore comfortable though, resigning herself to a life on the wrong side of everything, but at least Kassandra felt uncomfortable about it too so she could share in the sentiment.

"I'm not taking the floor" Kyra comments as she gets into her side of the bed. She was not about to be on the floor and she was tired and just wanted the day to be over.

"I wasn't going to ask you to. If anything, I was going to take it" Kassandra responded a bit harshly and Kyra wasn't going to let this slide.

She couldn't help herself from calling out Kassandra's attitude. "For someone who says that we need to grow up, you're being awfully childish. We're both adults as you so eloquently said, so just get in bed so we can be done with this."

She wasn't facing Kassandra, but she knew from prior experience there would be an eye roll. What did surprise her was that Kassandra didn't fight back and just wordlessly got into bed behind her. Kyra chalks it up to her being tired, but she's glad for whatever the reason is. She really didn't like all this fighting, but Kassandra just made it so easy to do that she didn't always stop herself.

Kyra realized quite soon that this bed was not meant for space as the few nights she had shared this with Kassandra, they were wrapped up as close as they could be. What felt like too much space before was now crushing with how little was actually there. Kassandra, to her credit, was doing her best to keep space between them, but Kyra knew that meant most of Kassandra's body was just on the floor. It would be uncomfortable, but Kassandra did it to herself so she could deal with the back pain that was soon to follow. Kyra soon gave way to her exhaustion and fell fast asleep in mere minutes.

Kyra was dreaming of Mykonos when she got nudged awake. Kyra tried to just scoot over to go back to sleep, but Kassandra was not settling down. Kyra wipes at her eyes as she sits up and she can tell that Kassandra is having one of her nightmares again. Kyra didn't want her to suffer through them, but she also remembered Kassandra reacting poorly to when Kyra tried to touch her. She was conflicted. Kyra knows she shouldn't care what happens to Kassandra as she's made her thoughts known on the two of them, but Kyra still loved her after all of it so it hurt her to see her in such a state of distress.

Kyra knows it will be a long night if she cannot calm Kassandra down, but she wasn't sure what would do the trick. Rolling over, doing her best not to come into contact with her, Kyra begins to speak softly.

"Kassandra," Kyra whispers, "you're having a nightmare. It isn't real and you're here and safe in your room with me."

She repeats this over and over again until Kassandra begins to move a bit less. Kyra can't see much, but the small amount of light from the moon shows that Kassandra's face is less tense so whatever she was doing seemed to be working. She only stopped once Kassandra let out a sound, afraid that she'd be caught whispering such things so she pretended to be asleep. She could feel the bed shift as Kassandra sat up and she could hear the sound of Kassandra laying down on the floor. It made Kyra wonder if the nightmares were about her, but she would never ask so instead, she sprawls out and monopolizes the newly freed space before she falls back asleep.

This bedtime routine continued night after night with Kassandra starting the night in bed, but she wouldn't last more than a few hours before she woke herself up and moved to the floor. Not to mention the fact that she was always out of the room before Kyra got up so she knew she was not sleeping very well. 

Kyra noticed it as they would go about their day. Her eyes had lost their shine and she had dark circles taking residency on a more permanent basis. Her temper was rather short and, if it was even possible, they bickered more than usual over the stupidest things. She found herself wanting to escape her presence as she was just so over her newly shortened fuse. Alas, she couldn't push her away too far as they had appearances to maintain. Even showing her any affection had become a chore because every kiss or every touch, Kyra knew Kassandra wasn't doing it because she wanted to. 

It pained Kyra to have to force this when Kassandra made it quite clear she wanted anything but intimacy with her. Kyra knew that if she were on the outside looking in, she'd feel uncomfortable just watching them try. She wasn't sure who they were fooling anymore (if anyone at all) so Kyra decided to begin withdrawing herself little by little. She would find reasons to send Kassandra away and she would throw herself into her work so that Kassandra would get so bored that she left. Kyra hated to do it, but she's never wanted Kassandra to be with her if it wasn't of her own choosing. She would not settle for anything less than genuine.

Kyra continued to go through the motions with Kassandra and she could feel the rift growing deeper and deeper between them each day that passed. They hadn't had an actual conversation in almost a week and she was at the point where she couldn't even recognize Kassandra. She was but a shell of the vibrant woman she had come to love. A woman who was as mesmerizing as the tides was now nothing but driftwood floating along the surface. There was no spark of life in her anymore and Kyra hated to see her like this. It was like she resigned herself to being unhappy, something Kyra could not understand.

Having sent Kassandra away for the umpteenth time that day, she tries to focus on her tasks but finds it almost impossible.

"You look like you could use a break" Kyra hears as she reads yet another useless document. She recognizes the voice immediately as Darieos so she sets the document down to give him her attention.

"A break and a jug of wine at this rate. You wouldn't happen to have some on you by any chance?" Kyra jokes although she was serious about needing a desperate amount of wine. 

"Sadly no, I seemed to have forgotten my travel jug at home this morning" Darieos plays along. "But in all seriousness, when was the last time you took a break?"

"The word break isn't in my vocabulary and besides, I'd just be standing by myself and I can do that from here so it doesn't seem necessary" Kyra shares honestly as she would be alone anyway so she might as well remain productive.

"Well, for what it's worth," Darieos starts as he takes a few steps closer to her, "I would be honored if you were to make an exception for me."

Kyra knows she shouldn't because Kassandra, for whatever reason, had quite an aversion to him and she was trying to respect that. However, it caused her to pause for just why Kassandra seemed to dislike him. He had given her no reason to act so hostile towards him as their first meeting was when Kyra had introduced them. This leads to the conclusion that Kassandra didn't like him solely because he liked Kyra.

She may have her questionable moments, but she was not blind. She knew Darieos' intentions immediately due to how differently he had interacted with her in front of Kassandra versus how he spoke to her months before when she was negotiating her allegiance, alone. The timing of it all was suspect too as it was clear he had been in Sparta for a while, but he only made the introduction after her public spat with Kassandra. She could just be jumping to conclusions, but her instincts were never wrong and something just didn't feel right with him. It didn't mean she couldn't enjoy his company though as she did find him rather interesting and he had his moments of being quite charming. A nice change of pace from what she's been getting.

Deciding that she wanted to indulge in his misplaced affections, she takes the bait. "What did you have in mind?"

The two of them took a lovely stroll around town while grabbing a nice lunch. It was refreshing to be actually engaged in a conversation where the person you were speaking to was actively listening. She had forgotten what it felt like to have someone care. She also found that she was allowing these little "excursions" more and more frequently, much to Kassandra's behest. Kyra knew Kassandra was right in what she was saying, but she would not allow her the satisfaction. She and Darieos had done nothing wrong and there was truly no harm with them being friends (or as much as one could be friends with a suspected cultist.) Still, she was feeling happy for the first time in a long time and the days became easier to bear.

Kyra had returned home that night to a silent Kassandra, brooding over her plate of food while Myrinne and Phaedra chatted about old times. They must both know something was wrong between the two of them, but still none spoke of it. Kyra picked at her food as well, her mood dropping after seeing Kassandra. She never seemed to have much of an appetite at night anymore, most nights she opted to go to bed early and forgo supper altogether. Her now daily lunches with Darieos would satiate her until breakfast so she could afford to skip the meal.

"Kyra? Hello?" Phaedra says as she waves her hand to catch her attention. Seems her mind had drifted at an inopportune time.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you said," Kyra apologizes, "could you repeat it?"

"Sure thing, I was just asking if you wouldn't mind helping me with something. It won't take too long" Phaedra assures her and Kyra wouldn't lie that she'd not spent enough time with her as she should so if she were asking for help, she'd oblige.

"Of course, I would be delighted to" and Kyra really would be too. "We can leave now if you'd like."

Phaedra agrees and the two of them take care of their plates before Phaedra leads the two of them outside. Kyra doesn't know where they're going, but it wasn't a big deal to her. They walk for about three or so minutes before Phaedra pulls her off towards a wooded patch.

"So I lied to you" Phaedra confesses. "I don't actually need your help, I just wanted an excuse for you and I to be able to talk freely and catch up."

"I see," Kyra ponders, wondering what exactly she wanted to talk about, "well, was there anything specific you had in mind?"

"I'm not going to insult your intelligence by playing coy. Something is massively wrong between you and Kassandra and I'm worried about you" Phaedra was blunt and direct, a trait Kyra greatly admired in her.

"I'm guessing you've already spoken with her about this?" Kyra questions, referencing Kassandra.

"You'd be correct" Phaedra affirms. "I know better than to judge without having both sides."

"I'm afraid there's not much to tell" Kyra shares, not wanting to go into too much detail as Phaedra was more Kassandra's friend than her own. "She lied to me about killing someone I cared about and we've been deteriorating ever since. Seems like we cannot even be within the same air space as each other anymore."

"Do you still care for her? Do you still love her?" Phaedra inquires, asking a very loaded question and they both knew it.

"Sometimes love is not enough" Kyra answers honestly and she can feel her chest beginning to ache. "I don't wish to talk about it any further, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Phaedra apologizes, "I pressed too hard and overstepped. You do not owe me an explanation."

Kyra as so used to arguing that she was a bit taken back by how easily Phaedra dropped the topic. "Oh, well, thank you for understanding. I'm not used to having a subject just dropped without it feeling like I've had to wage a war."

"Kassandra is a strong willed woman, but I fear sometimes she cannot tell the difference between a battle mindset and a casual one" Phaedra shares, opening up to Kyra like she's never done before. "She lives her life like she's at war all the time and, far be it from me to judge her, but I don't think she knows how to take a step back. I believe her conviction is so strong because, in a battle, the decisions are life and death and there's no room for argument, but she cannot comprehend when the battle has ended. Does this sound foolish?"

Kyra soaks in every single word said and it gives her a new insight that she's never considered. It does not absolve Kassandra of any of her actions, but Kyra had always been more curious as to the "why." "I think that's the most sense I've heard anyone speak in a long time. I had never thought about her like that, but it would explain a few things, a lot of them actually."

Kyra had not expected much from the conversation once Phaedra revealed her true motives, but as luck would have it, she actually walked away with something new. Kassandra was as much of an enigma as when they first met and every time Kyra thought she was making progress, something always happened that would set her back. It was beyond frustrating, but Phaedra did bring up a very good point, one that could explain why she never seemed to be able to crack beneath the surface. Kyra would catch Kassandra in a rare moment and, only then, would Kassandra allow Kyra to see what she's always wanted. As soon as it drops though, it's replaced with another layer that Kyra has to whittle away at yet again.

Kyra doesn't go down that rabbit hole now as she could easily spend an entire day thinking of Kassandra's intricacies and inner workings. Instead, she uses this opportunity to learn about Phaedra as the two of them were friendly, but had not interacted much outside of her time spent with Kassandra. The two women chat for almost an hour before Kyra can feel herself getting tired. Phaedra takes the hint and the two of them walk back home while idly talking of ridiculous stories. Kyra has not been this relaxed in a long time and her mood had improved tremendously. She was feeling so good that even Kassandra couldn't bring her down if she was in a bad mood (which was almost all the time.)

Myrinne had already retired to bed by the time they got back and Phaedra said her goodnights as soon as she walked in, most likely to give her and Kassandra time to talk. Kyra wasn't exactly sure what to say, but it was clear that something was still wrong with Kassandra and her withholding everything was not healthy. It was sad that she had to carefully consider her words before speaking as to not derail them into a pointless argument, but since Kyra was in a good mood, she'd try to ease the tension and try to cheer her up.

Kassandra was sitting down at the table, but it was like her mind was elsewhere. She had been looking at the exact same spot now since Phaedra had gone upstairs.

"Kassandra?" Kyra speaks softly to catch her attention, but she gets no response.

She did not think Kassandra was at the point of just flat out ignoring her so she would give it another try, this time she'd try to get in front of her.

"Kassandra? Hey, you with me?" Kyra speaks a bit louder and she waves her hand in front of Kassandra's line of sight. 

This does the trick as Kassandra blinks her eyes hard to focus, proving Kyra's earlier guess correct, as she refocuses on Kyra.

"Sorry," Kassandra says a bit sheepishly, having been caught so off guard, "I guess I'm just really tired."

"No need to apologize" Kyra assuaged Kassandra's concern. "I was wondering if you were interested in heading to bed as I do not want to risk disturbing you by staying up."

This wasn't how she intended on this conversation going, but it was clear that Kassandra needed to sleep or at least be in bed resting, so she would try again upstairs.

"Oh, that's thoughtful of you" Kassandra answers while simultaneously muffling a yawn. "If you don't mind, that would be great."

Kyra leads them up to bed where they both just collapse, both having an exhausting day. She knows she still wants to try to mend at least a fraction of her rift with Kassandra so she asks for something she knew Kassandra would never say no to.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, but I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?" Kyra doesn't wait for Kassandra to respond before she almost races through the rest of her idea. "I know you only want us to be professional and I respect that, but I was wondering if you'd be interested in sparring with me tomorrow as I feel a bit rusty? If you don't want to that fine and I can ask someone else so don't feel obligated to say yes if you'd rather not."

She's not sure what came over her to request this of Kassandra, but she was hoping it would help them heal. She didn't want all this animosity between them, no matter what their love life looked like. Kassandra was someone you always wanted on your side and Kyra intended to try to get them back to that level. 

She waits patiently for Kassandra to respond, each second of silence sending her into a worry that she's overstepped the mark. So much for her being bold as she only wants now the ability to take it all back until Kassandra breaks the silence.

"I would like that" Kassandra answers after what felt like a tense eternity.

"Oh, ok, yeah," Kyra fumbles with her response as she really didn't expect her to say yes no matter how cocky she was going into this. "I don't have any plans for the day so whenever would work best for you."

"I have a contract actually that I was planning on taking care of that could take a while so," Kassandra hesitates, "since you said you're not busy," Kassandra pauses again, "you could, if you wanted to that is, come with me to speed it up and we could spar when it's done. You don't have to though, just a thought."

Kyra was grateful for the dark room as she was smiling like an idiot. It wouldn't erase everything they so desperately needed to discuss, but it was a start to working them both back into the same room without tearing each other apart. She wouldn't be stupid and think that this solves anything, but maybe, just maybe, if they can get through this without a major event, that there may be some hope left for their friendship. It was too early and ill advised for her to even fathom something romantic between them again, but she'd at least like to be friends like they used to be.

"I would love to" Kyra assures and she can hear Kassandra let out what must've been a deep breath she was holding.

Kyra can hear Kassandra yawn and she doesn't want to deprive her anymore, but she was feeling all sorts of bold tonight so she had one last thing to share before she allowed Kassandra to sleep.

"You know I don't bite, right?" Kyra light heartedly jokes, throwing all caution to the wind. "You can move over so you're not hanging off the bed. I know you've been doing that for weeks now and it cannot be comfortable."

Kyra feels Kassandra's answer as her body suddenly lit up with the warmth that Kassandra radiated as she scooted closer. That and the fact that Kassandra was wearing almost nothing and they were touching, skin to skin, making it impossible for her not to notice. She may not have any romantic intentions on her mind, but her body clearly did from how she was reacting. She had missed Kassandra's touch more than she would admit so to finally have it again was intoxicating. She wanted to be wrapped up in her arms and held close. Kyra had not slept well since their initial fight and she knows exactly why (as desperate as it may be.) Kassandra was her protector in a sense and she knew that she would keep her from harm and could rest soundly. Maybe it was her trying to do the right thing or maybe it was her body craving a deeper touch, she wasn't sure, but it didn't matter because she knew what she needed.

Kassandra lays beside her, stiff as a board, in what must be a chivalrous gesture to still give Kyra her space. There was no going back from this now and if they were going to make this sleeping arrangement work, they needed to change.

"I still can tell you're off the bed Kassandra" Kyra points out as she shifts so that she's facing away from her. "Do you really not want to touch me?"

The question blurted from her moth before she realized it and she was now well beyond the point of no return. It was absolutely not meant to be said out loud and if she wasn't sure she'd hit her nose, she palm her hand to her face with how royally she just screwed up. She shouldn't have said it, but with her guard down, she let it slip and now she's just messed everything up. She wants to backtrack and say that's not what she meant when she feels Kassandra shift even closer until there's no space left between them.

Kyra is afraid to even move at this point because not only were she and Kassandra on speaking terms, but now they were a stone's throw away from cuddling.

"I just didn't think you wanted me to. I never wanted to make you uncomfortable by it" Kassandra confesses and Kyra understands why (something that seems to be happening a lot lately.)

It was because of Kyra's outburst by the letter that Kassandra had withdrawn all physical affection and she never connected the dots until now. Kyra had pushed her away and Kassandra was doing her best to follow the groundwork Kyra had laid down. She feels silly for not putting it together and it is actually rather sweet of Kassandra to follow it so strictly. There was a time where she had no desire for Kassandra's touch, but that faded shortly after the incident as she still very much loved her. She feels like a walking, talking contradiction. One moment she wants nothing to do with Kassandra and the next, she's all she wants. She'd been sending mixed signals so this was partly her fault for the sudden deprivation.

"I can see why you thought that," Kyra responds, her tone apologetic, "but it is fine with me so long as you're comfortable with it. I promise to tell you if it is too much."

That was, apparently, all Kassandra needed to hear because she wrapped her arm around Kyra's waist and pulled her snugly against her chest. Kyra reveled in the sensation and found herself falling into the most peaceful sleep she's had in weeks. The night, however, didn't allow Kassandra the same courtesy.

Kyra could feel Kassandra getting restless as her grip tightened ever so slightly around her waist. Kyra was all too familiar by the routine and Kassandra would wake herself soon enough and move onto the floor to finish the rest of her night. Well, not anymore if Kyra had anything to say about it. 

Kyra slowly rolls herself over so that she's facing towards Kassandra and she scoots herself so that Kassandra's head was resting on her chest. She hold her as close as she can while her free hand gently runs through Kassandra's hair while she whispers soft words of comfort. Kyra remembered Kassandra saying that if they were already touching that she would be fine and, even if Kassandra got startled, the worst she'd get is some bruising.

She can feel Kassandra calm almost immediately as she grabs onto Kyra a bit tighter than before, but Kyra didn't think this was out of fear, but for that of comfort to help anchor her for whatever demons she's fighting. Kyra couldn't even begin to imagine what Kassandra has seen in her short life, more than anyone should have to no doubt. Kassandra tries to be so strong for everyone else while battling her own fears alone, it was a lot to burden oneself with. Even though she was unsure of the path ahead for herself and Kassandra, she did know she never wanted her to face this suffering alone.

Kyra continues to offer Kassandra all the comforts she can think of, getting so wrapped in what she's saying that she overlooks the fact that Kassandra was now awake. It wasn't until Kassandra begins to pull away that Kyra notices and quickly places her hand atop Kassandra's arm to stop her.

"Don't leave," Kyra pleads, knowing Kassandra would try to withdraw, "please stay."

Kyra waits for Kassandra to leave anyway as this was probably more intimate than she ever wanted to be. Kassandra had drawn the line, but Kyra couldn't help but feel that this was the right moment to cross it. Kyra could see the correlation between Kassandra and her nightmares and she knew that she may not stop them, but she does have the power to subdue them. Kassandra would never ask for help, she was too prideful, so Kyra hopes that her making it look like a request for herself would work.

And it did.

Kassandra settled back down onto Kyra (something she rarely did) and quickly fell back asleep. Kyra waited up for a few minutes and was confident that they would be in the clear for the night. If not, she'd wake and try again. 

Kassandra was worth the effort.

Daylight filters through the small window and Kyra goes to stretch when she realizes there's a weight on her that isn't normally there. Kassandra was still fast asleep against her chest and Kyra couldn't help but warm at the sight. It was a rare day when she ever woke up before Kassandra so she's never been able to properly take in her features. She doesn't have a very good view from this angle, but she dared not move to disturb her. She obviously needed the rest so Kyra would stay still until she was physically unable to.

She spends the time daydreaming and reminiscing of happier times of her life as a good hour had to have passed by now. She could feel her stomach protesting its lack of food and she was afraid it would make its voice heard if she did not remedy it soon. Kassandra did also say she wanted to set off early so as much as she wanted to let her sleep in, it was probably best for them both to get up.

Kyra gently nudges Kassandra until she stirs. "The sun is well into the sky and you said you wanted to leave early."

Kyra's heart swoons when Kassandra, in her sleep induced haze, nestles herself closer to Kyra and holds her tighter. It was really quite touching and sweet, but Kyra knew she wasn't ready for that yet and she was fairly certain Kassandra wasn't either. Seems she came to her senses within a moment though and quickly removed herself from Kyra's arms.

"Sorry" Kassandra sheepishly apologizes as she rushes to stand up to put space between them.

"You have nothing to be sorry about" and she truly didn't. Kyra knew that Kassandra was embarrassed by their semi compromising position, but Kyra wasn't fazed in the slightest. "How did you sleep?"

"Good actually, like really good" Kassandra murmurs as she rubs the back of her neck, trying to dispel her nervous energy. "I, uh, am sorry I woke you though."

"I'm not" Kyra quickly responds and she can tell Kassandra is at a loss for words. Kyra didn't know what game she was playing here, but it was probably best to switch topics before she said something she'd regret.

"Where are we off to today?" Kyra questions, changing the subject for both of their sakes.

"I was tasked with checking up on our outposts by King Archidamos and there was a bounty on a deserter so I was going to try to find him as well while I was out. Nothing too thrilling I'm afraid" Kassandra comments offhand.

"I would hate to know what you actually find exciting if that's your ideal of dull" Kyra halfheartedly jokes, but it has crossed her mind before to what Kassandra actually enjoys doing.

"Anything that gets the blood pumping is something I could always find enjoyment in" Kassandra wistfully, yet vaguely describes.

Kyra sits up, wanting to be more level with Kassandra as she takes to learning against the wall. "I'm honestly quite surprised you even know the word fun exists."

Kassandra feigns hurt as she holds her hand over her heart. "You wound me deeply. I'll have you know I have lots of fun."

"Is that so?" Kyra challenges. "Well, far be it from me to call you a liar, but I will call you an advanced storyteller."

"Isn't that just like the same thing?" Kassandra inquires as she slightly tilts her head.

"I shall not confirm nor deny" Kyra states as she smiles innocently towards Kassandra.

Kassandra chuckles at the sheer nonsense of their discussion as she grabs for a cloth and tosses it at Kyra, hitting her square in the face. "Hah! See? Now that was fun."

Kyra paws off the cloth to reveal Kassandra grinning smugly, a sight for sore eyes. How she's missed this Kassandra deeply. One so carefree and full of life, the stark opposite of what's she's been forced to deal with lately. But now, Kassandra's smile reaches her eyes and she can physically see the difference in her demeanor. A remarkable turnaround.

"You're incorrigible" Kyra groans as she tosses the cloths back. "Now go so I can get dressed in peace."

Kyra can still hear Kassandra laughing from downstairs and she wishes she could preserve the sound as it was heavenly. She quickly changes and she walks down to see Kassandra, Myrinne, and Phaedra all in a fit of laughter. Clearly both Myrinne and Phaedra picked up on (and capitalized on) Kassandra's good mood by telling a funny joke or story for their amusement as they all had large smiles and hearty laughs. She could absolutely get used to this if only it were guaranteed to last forever.

A knock on the door interrupts them as Myrinne goes to answer it and she let's out a surprised gasp.

"Brasidas!" Myrinne exclaims as she rushes into him for a hug. "Oh thank the gods, I've been so worried. I am so delighted to see you. Please, come on in."

Myrinne all but tugs this man through the door and it is clear that Kassandra also knows him as she eagerly gives him a hug too. Kyra cannot say she's ever seen him before, but it's clear that they've all got history.

"I apologize for the intrusion, I was unaware you had company" Brasidas offers a small bow to both her and Phaedra. "I will come back at a better time."

"Nonsense," Myrinne waves off, "the more the merrier, plus I've been so rude as to not even introduce you all properly."

"Brasidas, this is Phaedra," the two of them shake hands, "she is helping me with some work for Sparta, but she now resides in Mykonos."

"This is Kyra. Kyra, this is Brasidas" Kyra extends her hand out to mimic the previous gesture. His hand was rough, but his grip firm, just like Kassandra's. Kyra finds she can learn a lot about a person by how they shake hands and his showed a confidence that seemed to be quite common with the Spartans.

"You wouldn't happen to also be from Mykonos would you?" Brasidas asks, making Kyra doubt if maybe she had met him before.

"Guilty as charged" Kyra answers, unsure of what direction this conversation was going to take. "They're actually my islands, I run both Mykonos and Delos, my second in command is running it currently in my absence."

Kyra's not sure why she shared as much as she did with this stranger, but she just felt so drawn towards him. Kyra didn't usually enjoy the company of most men, but she could sense that Brasidas was a good man and one that was trustworthy.

"It is an honor to meet you in person, I've heard much about you since I've arrived last week" Brasidas praises and Kyra cannot help but blush. "I have to say, I admire so greatly your diplomacy efforts with the Athenian aligned territories. Most Spartans will be quick to a blade, but I've always preferred a more diplomatic approach."

Ok, she definitely likes this guy now.

"I am flattered by your kind words, thank you" Kyra says with a genuine smile. "I've seen enough fighting to know it is something that I don't want to do unless it is necessary."

"As a man who has just come back from the battlefield, your logic is a breath of fresh air" Brasidas compliments yet again. "I look forward to what Sparta can achieve with your help."

Kyra can sense the attention of the room shifting on her and decides to shift topics as he surely didn't come here for her. "So Brasidas, what brings you back if you don't mind me asking?"

Brasidas accepts the shift in the conversation and his attention is soon moved to discussing something with Myrinne and Phaedra. This leaves her and Kassandra out of the loop and the two of them sat quietly at first until Kassandra breaks the silence.

"Seems like he's a big fan of yours" Kassandra comments like it's a clear observation. "You're getting quite the fan club."

Kyra knows that's a baited question and she's in too good of a mood to allow any snide comment from Kassandra rattle her. Instead, she will match her wit and see where it goes. "What can I say? He is a man of taste."

Kassandra doesn't push it any further and Kyra is grateful or else their day would be a long one considering they would be spending it all together. Speaking of which, they probably should get going soon to still have it be light by the time they return.

"We should probably get going or it will be dark when we get back" Kyra comments to Kassandra as she nods in agreement.

Brasidas must notice the movement from the two of them because his attention refocuses back to Kassandra. "Heading out?"

"Yes actually," Kassandra confirms, "we were just about to leave when you arrived."

"You're actually why I stopped by" Brasidas shares. "I was hoping to catch you before you left for the day. Apparently, King Archidamos would like you to accompany Darieos and his men on a rescue mission instead of checking the outposts. I was already headed this way to speak with Myrinne here so I offered to bring the message."

Kyra tries to not let her disappointment show, but she was looking forward to having the whole day with Kassandra, like they used to have before they arrived here. Looks like she would be spending this day off alone, again, doing nothing productive.

Kassandra looks towards Kyra, her eyes offering an apology that never quite reaches her lips, before turning back to Brasidas. "Of course, I will go speak to him right away. Will you be joining me?"

"Unfortunately not as my leg is still not recovered from my last encounter with...you know...so I've been sent back to recover." Kyra wonders who he had fought with, someone that was meant to be a secret between the two of them from the looks of it. 

"I understand" Kassandra acknowledges. "I wish a speedy recovery for you while you heal. Try to take it easy, yeah?"

"I seem to not know what to do with myself when I'm not fighting" Brasidas admits. "I've been given all this free time, but alas, I know not what to do with it. You know how restless I get."

Kyra senses an opportunity to get to know this mystery man who seems to know all about her. If Kassandra was going to be busy, perhaps she could take this time to pick Brasidas' brain for a bit. It would give them both something to do and his first hand knowledge mixed with his clear diplomatic approach could be very useful.

"Brasidas," Kyra interjects, "I'm sorry to be so forward, but if you didn't have anything planned I'd love to talk. It seems like you're a very knowledgeable man and I could use the first hand encounters to help me with pursuing a path of peace."

She probably laid it on a bit thick, but she really did have good intentions and he seems like he could use the distraction. Even though she actually didn't plan on sparring, he would probably help with that too. She didn't want to get rusty and lax and he wouldn't be able to do too much due to his injury so something light would do the trick.

"I would be honored Kyra" Brasidas answers, moving his arm to his chest with his fist to his heart. "I must see one more person, but I can return here within the hour."

"Sounds wonderful, I will be here" Kyra responds.

"We also must also be going, Myrinne and I" Phaedra chimes in as she gets up from the table. "We have a contact we need to check in with so we'll actually be gone for a few days."

"Why don't I walk you all out seeing as I'll be manning the fort alone?" Kyra offers and they all file out to the front yard.

"I had meant to tell you both earlier, but I seem to have lost track of the time" Myrinne apologizes as she moves to give Kyra a hug, followed by one for Kassandra. "Be safe you two."

"When am I ever not safe?" Kassandra remarks, meeting a glare that only a mater can give.

"You are the exact opposite of the word my lamb" Myrinne states as she holds Kassandra's face between her hands.

"I will escort you to the center when you're all ready" Brasidas offers generously to the three of them.

"You kids be good now" Phaedra remarks with a wink towards her and Kassandra as she follows Myrinne onto her horse.

Kyra waits for Kassandra to summon Phobos, but she seems to not want to leave as she's made the whistle motion twice without actually calling him. The behavior is odd, that coupled with the fact that she's playing with the dirt beneath her feet, being awfully fidgety, is enough for Kyra to be concerned.

Whatever her issue though seems to have dissipated as Kassandra finally summons Phobos and he arrives by her side only seconds later. That still blew Kyra's mind every time it happened, that a horse of all things would just know when to appear like that, but she also knew Kassandra was not ordinary either so it made sense in a cosmic way.

Kassandra hops onto him with a practiced ease, allowing them to get going, so Kyra turns around and begins to walk back in when she hears Kassandra shout her name from behind her.

"Kyra, wait!" Kassandra shouts as she jogs towards her, making the others pause nearby.

"Forget something?" Kyra turns around and asks as Kassandra quickly closes the distance.

Kassandra stops near her, all sense of her earlier discomfort gone, and Kyra gets her answer. "Yeah, this."

Before Kyra could ask what Kassandra meant, she felt Kassandra grab behind her neck tenderly and pull her in for a passionate kiss. 

At first, Kyra didn't know what to do as her mind was short circuiting so her instincts kicked in and she kissed her back. It was something they had been doing for a while now, but this kiss was not like the one's she had been getting. This kiss felt different, tasted different. It tasted not of obligation and disdain, but of desire and want. She was conditioned to respond, but it was no longer the same kiss that she had expected.

Kyra, regaining her senses, pulls away enough to catch her breath. She looks into Kassandra's eyes and sees something she's needed all along. She sees the affection she'd been missing from her and the warmth that comes with it. Kassandra may have said she only wanted to keep this professional, but Kyra could tell the difference. 

This was no ordinary kiss.

Kassandra releases her grip from behind her neck and Kyra notices a slight blush on Kassandra's cheeks.

"I, uh, just needed to do that" Kassandra says before she turns abruptly and jogs back to the others who got to witness the whole thing. She can't hear what they're talking about, but Phaedra seems to be teasing her for what just happened.

Kyra doesn't wait for them to leave before she turns to go back inside as there was much to consider given what just happened. Kyra holds her fingers to her lips, still feeling the kiss as she settles at the table. She had been debating on something very serious for a little while now and she'd been dragging her feet on making a decision because of how rocky she and Kassandra were, but now, now she knew what she needed to do. This kiss gave her the push and clarity she needed to make the call she ultimately knew she'd have to.

A tear falls, carrying with it every bit of her heart as she resigns herself for what is to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this first and foremost! 
> 
> I wanted to see how interested you all would be in a sequel to this story as we're getting down to the final handful of chapters. Is this something you would want more of or would you all prefer something new?


	24. Along The Road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for your heart to ache? Because mine sure as hell did writing it, all 13.5k of it. I even paused a few times and walked away from it. If that isn't a warning for what's to come then I don't know what is. 
> 
> I hope you all trust me enough to know that this has a place and I'm not just doing it to drag your soul into Hades for the sheer joy of it. Love is messy and can be down right dirty sometimes, but HAVE FAITH.
> 
> I'm sure this will elicit strong reactions from you all and (even if you're not happy with me) I'd still love to hear them!
> 
> Karmin - Along The Road  
> https://youtu.be/Gpvk4n-0Ebw

Kyra allows herself an indulgent moment to weep for what she knows is to come. Her time with Kassandra yesterday had all but solidified what she knew she had to do.

It was time for her to leave.

She couldn't do this again, with Kassandra, not now. She wasn't ready to just forgive and move on and pretend that everything was ok. She needed time and space to sort through everything and what she needs for herself. She knew that if she stayed, they would fall into the same cycle they did before and she's not sure if she could endure it. They would be fine for a time, perfect almost, but there would always be that resentment lingering beneath the surface. Kyra could not trust Kassandra with her heart because she's not confident that Kassandra would know what to do with it.

Love is risk, Kyra knows this, but there comes a point where a gamble isn't just a small bet, but a foolish loss. She was offering the ultimate prize that she possess and with such precious cargo, she couldn't afford to be wrong, not again. Losing what she had with Kassandra had done damage that she wasn't ever sure she could fully recover from. Nothing she did could fix this. 

They were a shattered mirror on the floor, pieced back together, but never quite the same as it was before. No matter how many times Kyra stares at her reflection, she can see every jagged edge, every individual piece. The image is no longer whole and there were small fragments missing, lost to the mistakes of their past. It was not all Kassandra's doing, but Kyra could not hope to reflect on her own misgivings under Kassandra's shadow. It was time for her step back from this alternative life she's been living and go back to her home, her people.

A sharp knock on the door forces Kyra to focus back to the present. She wipes away any lingering tears before she opens the door.

"I had finished earlier than expected, I hope I am not too early" Brasidas says as he stands in the doorway.

"You're right on time," Kyra smiles at him, happy for the intrusion" please come in."

"I must admit, I am curious as to what I can be of help with" Brasidas admits, taking a seat at the table. "I am just a soldier who does what he is told."

"That I don't believe for a second" Kyra states as she takes a seat next to him. "You may be a soldier, but your input is invaluable and I know that we could be a great team."

"A team? What did you have in mind?" Brasidas inquires, Kyra could tell she had his interest as he leaned slightly closer to her.

Kyra only had one opportunity to pitch her idea and it was outlandish at best, but she had to try. "I apologize for being so bold seeing as we just met, but I believe the fates have brought us together for a reason. Alone we are powerless, but together I believe we are limitless. With my political connections and your first hand insight, I believe we can create the perfect counter to our enemies and help us turn the tide."

Kyra could tell Brasidas was at least entertaining her idea so far so all she needed to do was give details delicately as she was not sure of his knowledge with the cult. "My idea is for you to come back with me, to Mykonos, where we will work diligently to uncover all of the snakes in the Spartan ranks."

"What makes you so sure that we have corruption?" Brasidas counters. "I understand what you're saying, but that is a heavy accusation. Spartans have a code to live by and they are not easily broken."

"I have proof, but not enough, not yet" Kyra whispers as the walls are never thick enough to ensure complete secrecy. "There is too much risk for me to work here and I cannot risk this information being leaked before it is concrete."

Brasidas looks to Kyra, still confused about how he fits into this plan. "I still am not following how I play into all this."

"You are a top ranking Spartan Brasidas," Kyra emphasizes, "you know the innermost workings of all of your superiors, do you not? Does your rank not allow you to be a part of closed door discussions?"

"Well yes, but-" Brasidas begins, but Kyra cuts him off. 

She can tell he is going to put up words of protest so she presses on to keep her momentum. "Doesn't that also mean you are familiar with what is considered acceptable behavior and conduct? You would be able to help me link all these traitors to a very dark force, an entity who's mission is to cause chaos."

Kyra can tell she's struck a nerve by how his body reacts. His posture had become more rigid and his fist clenches tight. He must know about the cult then for a reaction like that so this was something she could use.

"I'm not asking you to break your code of honor, Brasidas," Kyra assures, "but we both know the damage they can do when left unchecked."

Brasidas weighs her words very carefully before he leans forward once more. "What do you know?"

Kyra leans closer to match Brasidas' posture. "More than what I can tell you safely here. I would be risking not only my life, but that of Kassandra and Myrinne's and I cannot allow them to be harmed."

"Do they not know what you speak of?" Brasidas asks out of mild shock.

"Not all, no" Kyra confirms. "I could not risk them getting sidetracked from their current objective, but they know enough to get by. This was not a part of our original plan, but they will adjust."

"I can see that you care for them as deeply as I do," Brasidas says with a softer look to his face, "so I will consider your proposal."

"That is all I ask, but time is of the essence. I will be requesting my leave as soon as it is safe to do so without arising suspicion" Kyra explains. "If you choose to come with me, it would be of good faith for our alliance so that you may train my army to help aid Sparta. The perfect cover."

Brasidas rises to his feet and extends his hand, a gesture truly befitting his character. Kyra returns the gesture before escorting him to the door, bidding him farewell. 

As she sits alone, she is left to think about Brasidas. So polite and dignified, a true opposite of some of the other Spartans she's met. He is vastly different than Kassandra and it gets her wondering what she would have been like if she had stayed. She laughs at the thought of a Kassandra who follows all the rules and obeys every command. She would pay good drachmae for anyone who dared make it so.

It was not long after Brasidas left that Kyra found herself restless. There was still far too much time on her hands and she had no idea what to do with it. Anyone who could help her escape the boredom that was sure to set had left for the foreseeable future so she would have to entertain herself.

Kyra wanders the room in hope for inspiration when she notices the ancestral writings of Kassandra's family on a shelf. She had not had the time to read them before and Kassandra had already given her permission so she may as well delve into it. She's not sure where to start so she will just take one and see where it leads her. Luck has it that the first one she gets her hands on is that of Leonidas. She didn't know that much about him if she were honest, but she was aware of how he changed the war for Sparta and the bravery he must have had to do just that.

Kyra takes the scroll and a few others that she tucks under her arm and grabs glass of wine and heads upstairs to Kassandra's room. If she was going to lounge about, she'd rather be comfortable. Resigning herself to a day of light reading, she digs in and isn't disappointed. She can see so much of Leonidas in Kassandra, no doubt they are of the same blood. There were other noteworthy relatives, but none half as interesting as Leonidas.

Kyra spends the entire day reading scroll after scroll. She doesn't even pay much attention to the time and just lights a few candles to continue on once it got darker. She knew all about eye strain with a lack of light so she wanted to be well prepared. She was so enthralled in what she was reading that she didn't even notice Kassandra had returned until spotted a brief movement by the door and got startled.

"Gods Kassandra, wear a bell or something!" Kyra curses as she was quite unsettled by Kassandra's sudden appearance.

"I did call your name a few times downstairs to be fair" Kassandra chuckles. "Did you seriously not hear me?"

"I did not" Kyra sheepishly confesses. "I will admit I had been rather preoccupied."

"I'll say" Kassandra comments as she notices the sheer volume of scrolls littering her room. "Have you read all of these?"

Kyra blushes at being called out, but she knew Kassandra would not judge her for it. "Yes."

"I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned" Kassandra arches an eyebrow at her, looking at her current state. "Have you even eaten?"

So that's what she forgot to do today, how foolish. She had felt like something was missing, but she didn't desire to stop for any reason. It seems Kassandra has come to the answer on her own as she rolls her eyes before heading down the stairs. Kyra wasn't sure if she was supposed to follow or not, but now that Kassandra had planted the idea of food into her mind, she could feel how famished she was.

Kyra took a handfuls of the scrolls back downstairs and set them back in their proper place. She made sure to keep them organized so they could be put back the way they were originally. Satisfied of their positions, Kyra turns to the kitchen to see that Kassandra had food for her.

"Here, eat" Kassandra says as she offers her a plate of dried meat and some fruits.

"Thank you" Kyra hums as she digs into the food like she's not eaten in weeks.

Realizing she was being rude, Kyra slows down her eating enough to actually taste the food and opts to pick at what was left a bit more slowly. Once more, she has not even asked about Kassandra's day.

"How was your time out with Darieos and company? Did you find who you were looking for?" Kyra inquires, popping a piece of meat into her mouth.

"Darieos was an unnecessary evil. How he made it so high in the ranks is beyond me" Kassandra huffs. "The man couldn't track an Ibex if it were standing right in front of him."

"That bad? What did you do about it?" Kyra encourages, wanting Kassandra to share more. She always enjoyed Kassandra's recollection and she usually always had a story to tell.

"There was nothing I could do without causing a scene. I found the missing men, I freed them, but Darieos took all the credit. The life of a hired misthios I suppose" Kassandra sighs, her shoulders slouching.

"You and I both know you're not just some misthios" Kyra comments. "You are literally the misthios, you've created a name for yourself that you can be proud of. Do not let some hack steal your glory."

Kassandra doesn't say anything so Kyra let's the conversation drop. She knew that Kassandra wouldn't be pressed to discuss something if she didn't want to. Instead, she would take the silence and finish the remainder of her food without another word.

As she gets up to clean her plate, a knock on the door grabs her attention. Thinking nothing of it, Kyra grabs the handle to open the door before Kassandra presses her hand firmly above her head, blocking her movement.

"Were you expecting a guest?" Kassandra whispers as she grabs for her spear.

"No actually, are you?" Kyra whispers back, now alarmed by Kassandra's concern.

"Step back, I will handle this" Kassandra orders and Kyra didn't protest. She stepped to the side and allowed Kassandra to open the door.

"Message for the Eagle Bearer" the man says as he hands her a letter, retreating quickly as soon as Kassandra takes it.

Kyra watches as Kassandra surveys the area around them for anything suspicious before she closes the door and looks at the letter.

"I didn't realize they delivered messages so late" Kyra comments.

"They don't" Kassandra answers, her voice serious as she reads through the letter.

Kyra would be lying if she didn't admit to being curious about the contents of this mystery letter. Kassandra is impossible to read so she's not sure if this is good news or bad news. Kyra waits patiently as Kassandra finishes before she crumples it up and tosses it in the fire.

"Is everything ok?" Kyra questions, placing a hand on Kassandra's arm.

"Yes, quite fine" Kassandra answers a bit too quickly for her liking. "It was from Phaedra, she had forgotten to tell me something before she left."

"Must be important if it couldn't wait the couple days she'll be gone" Kyra comments in an attempt to pry a bit deeper. Something just wasn't sitting quite right.

"It was nothing, really" Kassandra assures and Kyra knows this will be a lost cause. Whatever it was, Kassandra was keeping it a secret. It was not her place, but at the same time, she couldn't help but be curious given the circumstances.

Kyra felt a little hurt by Kassandra's secrecy, even if it was not her place to know. She was being a hypocrite though because there are things she's keeping from Kassandra. Only difference is that Kassandra had no idea what was coming whereas, for her, it was dangled right in front of her face. She could not tell Kassandra until it was absolutely necessary, more for herself than for Kassandra. She could not face her until it was time and, if all goes to plan, that will be sooner than later. 

Still, she could feel her mood souring and didn't want to take it out on Kassandra. "I am feeling tired all of a sudden, I think I'm going to go and lay down."

She doesn't wait for Kassandra before she heads upstairs, but finds herself conflicted as she stands between the two rooms. Her bed has been freed up for the next few nights so she should, by all intention, be sleeping there, but Kassandra's bed was, well, Kassandra's. She did not want to overstay her welcome and even though there had been a shift between them, she did not want to push her luck.

Kassandra's voice speaks softly to her from behind, meaning Kassandra had followed her up and had just been watching her stand there. "I am sorry we did not have the day together." 

"It's fine" Kyra brushes off, noting the delicate tone Kassandra took when speaking to her. "You did what you had to do."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean I didn't wish it had been different" Kassandra says, her voice still soft.

"That's life unfortunately" Kyra responds with as much indifference as she can muster to keep the waver in her voice masked. "We live better in hindsight than we ever do in the present."

She can feel Kassandra moving in closer and her eyes squeeze shut when she feels Kassandra's hands go to her waist. "That is a shame because the present is beautiful."

Kyra doesn't dare speak because she cannot trust herself around Kassandra. She knows that it will only be worse for the both of them if they give in to this unhealthy addiction they have for one another. It is like they're drawn to the lingering pain for the moment of pleasure. A foolish way to live, but it was the most tempting. Kassandra was someone who could drive you mad in every sense of the word. She had to do something, say something, before it was too late.

"I- I can't" Kyra stutters out, her words barely audible. 

She keeps her eyes clenched shut, afraid of what she'll see once she opens them. If she keeps her eyes closed, she can just pretend nothing has happened. She can feel Kassandra's hands withdrawing from her sides and she already misses the warmth, but what happens next surprises her.

Kassandra doesn't leave, instead, she grabs Kyra's hand and turns her around. "I know you said you're tired, but I got to thinking that maybe you'd be interested in hearing some tales from me."

Kyra opens her eyes to find Kassandra looking nervous, but still as put together as always. It was all rather adorable as Kassandra had a small blush on her cheeks.

"Since you did a lot of reading about my family, I just thought I could share some too if, you know," Kassandra clears her throat in an attempt to dispel her nerves, "you're interested..."

Kyra was relieved that Kassandra wasn't pushing her away because she couldn't give her what she wanted. Kassandra had a bad habit of withdrawing when conflict arose, but this was a refreshing twist. "I would love to hear your stories Kassandra."

Kyra can't help but smile as Kassandra motions her to enter her room. They both dress down for the evening and get comfortable, sitting across from each other. Kassandra becomes animated easily as she retells her past heroics and misgivings. She tells of great battles and some not so great ones, all new and exciting to Kyra. She had never heard about any of what Kassandra was sharing now and she found herself laughing for the first time in a long time.

Eventually they both adjusted so that they were laying down, Kyra wrapped up in Kassandra's arms as she tells her stories of her beginnings in Kephallonia with Markos. Kyra can feel her eyes start to droop until she gives in, lulling herself to sleep by the melody of Kassandra's voice and a smile on her face.

Kyra can feel the warmth of the sun hitting her face, allowing herself to smile because of how good she was feeling already. Kyra didn't wake once all night. She can feel Kassandra next to her so that must mean that Kassandra also had a peaceful night's sleep. Either that or she slept so hard that she didn't notice. She cracks open her eyes, her hand moving up to provide shade so she could see Kassandra. Only Kassandra isn't sleeping like she expected and Kyra's vision is filled with Kassandra smiling sweetly.

"Good morning" Kassandra hums as she looks down to meet Kyra's gaze. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a log apparently" Kyra answers, her voice still tinged with sleep. "I didn't even wake up when you must've woken up at some point in the night. I'm sorry."

"I actually slept soundly too, no issues or anything" Kassandra beams back at her.

Kyra's smile goes wide enough to crinkle her eyes. "Oh Kassandra, that's wonderful to hear. I am pleased you were finally able to get a full nights sleep."

"Guess I just had the right person helping me" Kassandra compliments.

Kyra was definitely blushing at Kassandra's sweet words and she could feel a heat traveling up her neck. Did it get hotter in here suddenly? 

Kassandra's words felt heavy so Kyra tries to deflect some of it away. "It was all you Kassandra, you're the one who put in the work."

"Since when do you refuse a compliment?" Kassandra chuckles and Kyra can feel herself relaxing more at her playful nature. "That's now the second time you've tried to downplay something you had a hand in within a couple days."

"I can take a compliment!" Kyra protests as she gives Kassandra a poke to the stomach. "I just don't think I can be credited with this."

"Trust me, this is not because of anything I did" Kassandra persists. "You've been here when I needed you, even if I haven't admitted it, and I just wanted to thank you for it."

"Well, uh, you're welcome" Kyra answers, quickly sitting up and scooting off the bed. The room was getting far too hot and she needed some air before she broke what little was left of her willpower.

"We should get going, we've got a busy day ahead of us" Kyra changes topics and Kassandra thankfully obliges.

"You mean you'll have a busy day. I'll just be sent away and be left to find someway to not be bored to death" Kassandra whines as she sits up, making no effort to leave.

Kassandra was pouting, looking like a kicked puppy. Kyra would soothe her if not for the fact that she finds the scene adorable. "I didn't think you enjoyed the politics, I thought I was doing you a favor." 

It was a half truth at least as she did think Kassandra would be happy elsewhere, but she also just didn't want to be around her. She would never admit to Kassandra that last part so she would stick to the half that was truthful.

"Yeah, right" Kassandra mutters under her breath, but not low enough for Kyra to not hear it. Seems Kassandra perhaps knew the truth after all.

Kassandra's mood seemed to have darkened as she was not as carefree as she was mere moments ago. Kyra knows she should say something to assure her, but she also didn't want to lie to her and she was not about to get into an argument about it. Still, she does feel bad as Kassandra did feel like she was being punished and Kyra was doing just that, maybe to more of an extreme than she should have.

"I'm just going to go, I'll see you later" Kassandra says as she grabs her armor and walks away without another word.

"Kassandra, wait..." Kyra tries to get her to stop, but Kassandra ignores her and heads out.

She wasn't sure what she would've done had she stayed, but Kyra doesn't want them to revert back to their old ways. Kassandra was clearly bothered by Kyra's consistent dismissal of her, but she had yet to say this aloud. Kyra couldn't blame her, but it was the best solution at the time and that is not something Kyra regrets. That didn't mean she felt the same way now though. Kyra doesn't waste any more time than she needs to so she dresses promptly and takes her leave for the court.

Kassandra was waiting for her shortly before the entrance so Kyra decides to take the opportunity to apologize for what happened. "I'm sorry about earlier."

She is met with a stoic silence, one that was perfectly Kassandra. She had come to perfect the cold shoulder and Kyra could feel the ice pricking its way back between them. Kyra reaches out for Kassandra's hand and Kassandra at least allows her to do that, but she's not met with encouragement.

"Just...don't," Kassandra says quietly as to not make a scene, "please, just don't. I don't need your false sympathy. I know why and it just doesn't make it easier to deal with so don't."

Kyra couldn't say anything because Kassandra wasn't even wrong, worst of all that Kassandra knew she wasn't. She knew Kyra was doing it on purpose and it had hurt her deeply. Kyra had to accept however Kassandra wanted to handle this because she did this to her for better or worse. Opting to respect Kassandra's integrity, Kyra doesn't offer a counter of lies and just walks in to begin the day.

Kyra wants to make it up to Kassandra, to show her they were beyond that now and that she was trying to handle their precarious situation better. Before she's able to ask Kassandra to stay and help her, they both are dragged into the King's throne room. Kyra had never been in there before so this must be serious if they're all summoned. 

Aeschylus was standing in front of both the Kings, requesting everyone's attention. "I am sure you all are curious as to what brought you here today and I wish I could say it was good news. We have received intelligence that threatens the lives of everyone we've summoned today. The Athenians are growing bold and have made attempts to send small teams to target our most valuable assets. From now on, all the people in this room will be assigned a bodyguard for protection and they are not to leave your sides."

Kyra cannot believe what she's hearing and is just as startled as everyone else in the room. Well, all except Kassandra who seems wholly unfazed by this announcement.

Aeschylus holds his hand up in the air as the room fills with quiet discussion. "I can assure you that we are dealing with the issue at hand and this is merely a precaution to set your minds at ease. Please form a single line so that we may assign each one of you a Spartan soldier who will guard you with their life, you have my word."

Kyra is caught up in the commotion, but her attention gets pulled away when she hear fragments coming from Kassandra as she mutters something under her breath.

"What was that?" Kyra asks, thinking she had missed something Kassandra had said.

"Nothing, nothing, it's not important" Kassandra dismisses, but Kyra can tell she's still pretty worked up about it.

"You're agitated Kassandra so it's clearly not nothing" Kyra points out. "What is wrong?"

Kassandra looks to be mulling over what Kyra says and just as Kassandra begins to speak, the two of them are interrupted.

"Pardon the intrusion ladies," Darieos cuts in, "but I was wondering if I could speak with you, Kyra. Alone."

Kyra looks to Kassandra before turning back to Darieos. "Of course, one moment."

Kyra shifts towards Kassandra to address her. "Kassandra, please excuse me for moment. I won't be long." 

Before she walks away she pulls Kassandra close to her so she could whisper in her ear. "This conversation is not over" before kissing her cheek and walking away with Darieos.

He takes her into a corner of the room less packed with frantic politicians. "I just wanted to assure you that you'll be safe here. I have asked specifically to be assigned to you so that you could rest easy. I just wanted you to know."

He doesn't wait for her to respond before he rejoins Aeschylus as they sort through the remaining people. 

Kyra returns to Kassandra's side and she makes sure to give her a look that means business. "What were you going to tell me before we got interrupted?"

"I wasn't" Kassandra responds, her eyes scanning around the room, distracted, like she was looking for something.

"Can we please not fight?" Kyra pleads. "We've been doing so well and I would hate to see us step back in our progress."

"I'm not fighting with you," Kassandra harshly whispers, "but you need to know when to let things die. Not everything is worth discussing."

Kassandra didn't know it, but Kyra took the words to mean something much deeper than she could have anticipated.

"I see," Kyra muses, "well if that is how you feel, consider yourself relieved from your duties to me professionally."

"Wait, what?" Kassandra speaks up a bit louder.

If Kassandra was going to do this, she was not going to sit idly by. If she refused to talk with her about something that was bothering her, Kyra would let her sulk alone.

"You heard me" Kyra challenges, her posture shifts so that she's standing as tall as possible. "Consider this," Kyra points between them like Kassandra had done not long ago, "finished."

Kassandra's jaw clenches and Kyra knows she's striking a chord. "I will not be surrounded by someone who refuses to speak openly with me."

Kyra brushes past Kassandra and heads for the exit, knowing full well that Kassandra would be hot on her heels. For all of her effort to not have an argument, it seemed it was unavoidable and she's learned from last time so she was at least getting them out of direct earshot.

As predicted, Kassandra follows her, their pace brisk until Kyra is satisfied they're in a better position.

"You would rather be with a stranger?" Kassandra scoffs in disbelief. "Is that what you're telling me? You'd rather shack up with a stranger instead of letting go of a pointless conversation?"

"I would consider Darieos far from a stranger" Kyra comments, knowing this would get Kassandra's attention.

"Him?! You're going to walk away from me for him?" Kassandra is now well beside herself, Kyra is glad to have moved them.

"You say that like you're not the one pushing me his direction!" Kyra argues. "All I've wanted, all I've ever wanted, is for you to talk to me, but I see that I've been stupid for holding onto false hope."

"You've slept with him, haven't you?" Kassandra accuses and Kyra almost had to laugh with how ridiculous Kassandra was being.

"God forbid I spend time with anyone and enjoy their company" Kyra tosses her hands up in exasperation. "Unlike you, Darieos actually wants to be around me and doesn't find it a chore to have an actual conversation with me."

Kyra is heated at this point. Kassandra was just being ridiculous out of spite and she knows she shouldn't take it to heart, but it was hard to do when passion gets in the way.

"And for your information, Kassandra," Kyra continues, her words flowing like lava from a volcano, "I wasn't going to say yes!"

Kassandra seems surprised by this revelation and it hurt, it hurt her a lot. "I cannot believe you still think like this of me, that I'd be willing to throw my attention to every person that shows even the slightest interest in who I am. Gods Kassandra, you are suffocating me!"

Kassandra softens at Kyra outburst, but it was too late, far too late. "I cannot be around you anymore, I just can't take it. I am going back inside to take Darieos up on his offer and I will remain with him from now on. I will have Phaedra bring me my things when she gets back."

"Kyra, don't do this" Kyra can hear Kassandra almost beg, but she was beyond caring for anything Kassandra had to say right now. "I'm sorry, please."

Kyra had intended to just walk away, but hearing Kassandra apologize (if you could even call it that) gave her pause.

"I don't think you are sorry Kassandra" Kyra challenges, turning herself back around to face her. "I think you're only saying this because you know it is what I want to hear. I don't think you actually do feel any remorse, but I do think you just cannot stand an uncomfortable situation so you try to fix it with what you think you should say. Saying "sorry" is not going to fix this Kassandra, because your words are as hollow as you are. You mean nothing, ever, and I should have learned my lesson by now, but here I am, looking like an idiot. If you actually felt sorry, you would do more to show it. Actions speak louder than words so you keep saying you're sorry, but your behavior never changes to match. Words are fragile so prove you've listened with active change and maybe then I'll accept your apology. Until that happens, I don't want anything to do with you!"

Kyra takes a deep breath, having just unleashed everything she's been wanting to say in one go. She was tired of bottling this up and she had no reason to hold back any longer. Maybe now Kassandra would finally understand what she's been trying to show her all this time. She doesn't even try to hide the fact that she's crying, she wants Kassandra to see what she's done.

Kyra scrapes what's left of her pride off the ground and walks back into the fray with her head held high. She was going back to Mykonos as soon as possible, even if she had to swim with the sharks. She could not be in the same proximity as Kassandra any longer, it was too much. She needed to speak with Brasidas and seek his answer, but she was going to leave with or without him.

She spots him near King Archidamos and catches his attention to pull him aside.

"Gods Kyra," Brasidas comments as he takes in Kyra's less than appealing state, "you look like you could use a strong drink."

"You have no idea" Kyra comments. "I just wanted to speak with you because I cannot stay here any longer and I am going to take the first ship I can out of here. Being around Kassandra is out of the question so I just need to leave so I can focus."

"I feel there is more to this story than what I'm hearing. Are you sure you're just not running from her?" Brasidas questions skeptically.

"There is, but it is all relationship troubles," Kyra waves off, not wanting to dump all that baggage on him, "it has nothing to do with my ability to lead and no, I'm not "running," I'm just making a calculated retreat."

"That just sounds like a fancier way of saying the word running you know" Brasidas teases, clearly not taking this as seriously as she is.

"Look," Kyra sighs frustratedly, "I don't want to get into semantics here, ok? I just want to know if I have your help or not because, all the drama aside, I would never want any harm to come to them."

"I know, I'm sorry," Brasidas backtracks, "my jesting was in poor taste."

Kyra can feel Brasidas sizing her up, for what, she knows not, but his gaze was intense and she was beginning to feel quite exposed.

"This is for Kassandra and Myrinne, right?" Brasidas asks again, even though she knows she's already given him the answer.

Still, she would give him the answer again and again as her goals have not changed and her desire to protect the ones she loves has not faltered (even if one of them is an asshole at the current moment.) "Yes, for the both of them and, subsequently, all of Greece in the process. This goes so much bigger than you can possibly imagine."

"I'm in" Brasidas' answer was short and sweet, lacking no hesitation.

"You are?" Kyra questions, dumbfounded that he's actually agreed.

"They have supported me when most would have left me to die and I owe Kassandra my life" Brasidas shares with an intensity in his voice. "If you can take care of securing my position at your side, I will take care of the transportation."

"Deal" Kyra says, offering her hand so that they may shake on it. "How soon can you get us a ride?"

"I can have us out of here by tomorrow night, is that going to be too soon?" Brasidas inquires as his hand meets hers in a firm grasp.

"That will be perfect, I will get to work. Meet me at Kassandra's tomorrow night" Kyra says and Brasidas nods in confirmation before taking his leave.

Getting Brasidas the approval would be the easy part. She had already planted the seeds in Aeschylus' mind and she also didn't hide that fact that he would return to his rightful responsibilities if she were allowed to do this so he was all too eager to encourage it up the chain of command. The hard part would be dealing with one more night here. This means she now has to do one of two things. She can either find someone to put her up for a night and be subjected to being questioned mercilessly or she can cave and speak to Kassandra and have one more night there before she takes off. Something that should be a simple decision was now racked with complexities, still, she knew Kassandra would not kick her out and she did need to get her things together. This way at least the packing would not look suspicious.

"Why can I not just follow through on my threats?" She curses as she looks towards the sky. "Why do you keep doing this to me? I ask you, why, because I cannot keep this up."

Realizing that she was most definitely talking to herself with people present snaps her out of her pity party. She just needed to focus on work until it was late enough for her to go back and try to avoid Kassandra in her own home.

This was going to be a long night.

\---------

Kassandra finds herself sitting at home, alone, wondering how she let this all unravel. In a single night, she had undermined all of their progress and made everything so much worse and because of what? To have the last word? Getting in a smart comment to tear Kyra down? To be controlling? She had been so careful lately and, in a blink, she watched it all catch fire and burn down. She was the sole survivor in a pile of ash as she holds the torch that started it. Everything she loved was not meant to live within her.

Kassandra was a disease. 

She slowly eradicated all she came to love and she couldn't find it within herself to stop it. She was self destructive to a max and the worst part was she wasn't sure why. Why was she like this? Why couldn't she allow herself to be happy? Why did she push away those she cared about? So many questions swirled in her mind, but none had answers. It was too late now to change anything anyway, what's done was done. Kyra had made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing more to do with her so what was the point of anything?

She was on her last chance at any redemption and she blew it. Kyra had given her so many opportunities to change, to be better, but she didn't heed any of her warnings and kept on like nothing was wrong. Somewhere deep within her, she knew she'd always have Kyra no matter what she did and she abused that to no end. Kyra had told her that she loved her and Kassandra knew then that, as awful as it was, she'd be able to get away with whatever she wanted because Kyra would forgive her out of love.

It wasn't out of malice, never, but out of a comfort she was not willing to change. Kyra had expectations of her and she had never felt compelled enough to want to meet them. For gods sake, they weren't even that difficult, the bar was set so low and still she dug deeper. All Kyra wanted was someone who would talk to her and share how they felt. She wanted that someone to be Kassandra, but after tonight, there was no way it would ever be her again. Love could only excuse so much and what Kassandra had done was unforgivable. She had abused Kyra's love until there was nothing left and that was something she'd have to live with for the rest of her life.

Kassandra finds herself with a jug of wine and time on her hands. She doesn't even bother with a glass as she takes a hefty swig straight from the source. It wouldn't change anything, but if she got drunk enough she could possibly forget this misery enough to think it was only a bad dream. That she would wake up with Kyra in her arms and that none of this had ever happened. All she could do now until that hit was relive everything that had happened I'm the last two day and watch it all combust before her eyes again and again.

Yesterday had been the best time she's had with Kyra in months, even if it didn't start out on the right foot. She was surprised at Kyra's request to spend the day with her, but she was grateful for it. Ever since she'd had that conversation with Phaedra, Kassandra knew she would have to try harder to show Kyra that she could change. Too bad she didn't actually follow through with it or this would be a very different memory. Regardless, it was still something she wanted so when Brasidas made his unexpected arrival, it threw a rock into their well thought out plans.

She didn't hold it against Brasidas as he was just the messenger, but it didn't escape her vision at how enamored Kyra was by him. Brasidas was one of the best men she knew and it was hard to not be drawn to him. It didn't help that he seemed to have already looked into Kyra because he knew a fair bit about her already, something that surprised Kyra from what she could tell. Kassandra couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at how easily they flowed with each other and the subtle reactions that he elicited from Kyra.

Kassandra knew better than to jump to this irrational jealousy, but she couldn't help it. She must have known how much she didn't deserve Kyra and it set the constant doubt in the back of her mind that Kyra would realize this and cast her aside. It's ironic that Kassandra was worried about everyone else stealing Kyra from her that she didn't see that she was her own biggest threat.

Whether it be Darieos, Brasidas, or whomever, it would never be something she would accept. It brought her some relief to find that Darieos would be with her the whole time, only to have that dashed when Kyra asked for Brasidas' company. Unlike Darieos, she knew that Brasidas would not try anything. Her jealousy was misplaced and she knew, she really did, but it was as if all rational though just disappeared.

She had kept her focus though as the thought of having some quality time with Kyra was enough for her to find these men in record time. Darieos was as useless as ever and had them going in circles until Kassandra opted to break from the path they were trampling down and spotted some tattered clothing and used her tracking skill (along with some help up above with Ikaros) to locate the men at a bandit camp. She swiftly cut them all down, just in time for Darieos to swoop in and rescue the men. Men like that make her sick, but she didn't care about fluffing up her feathers to see who's were better, she didn't have the patience nor the time. She would get back around dusk if she hurried so seeing Darieos falsely basking in the glory and not paying attention to her gave her the out she needed. Calling for Phobos, she took of towards the horizon to the sweet sight of Kyra.

When she got home, she noticed the house was dark, her heart sinking a bit. Kyra had probably gone out, most likely with Brasidas. Kassandra entered anyway with a small wish of her to be there as she lit a few candles downstairs to see that all the scrolls of her family were missing. She looks around the room and it didn't appear to be a robbery so Kyra must have them.

Kassandra decides to call out for her to not startle her. "Kyra? Kyra, are you here?"

She's met with silence, but she can see a small glow coming from her room so it was possible that Kyra had fallen asleep. Walking up quietly, she peeks in the door to see Kyra immersed in one of the scrolls, the rest on her floor. Whatever she was reading, it was good enough to completely render her senses null to the world around her. It was a beautiful sight.

Kassandra sees the smallest turn of Kyra's head before Kyra let's out a gasp and drops the scroll. "Gods Kassandra, wear a bell or something!"

Kassandra couldn't help but chuckle at how cute she was. "I did call your name a few times downstairs to be fair. Did you seriously not hear me?"

Kyra looks a little embarrassed by this fact. "I did not. I will admit I had been rather preoccupied."

"I'll say" Kassandra notes as she looks at the scrolls on the ground. "Have you read all of these?"

"Yes" Kyra sheepishly answers and Kassandra cannot help but smile. She knew she read, but it was clear this was something important to her.

"I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned" Kassandra comments as she arches an eyebrow. She also takes note of the fact that there doesn't seem to be any traces of food nearby. "Have you even eaten?"

She didn't have to ask the question because she knew Kyra had probably been up here all day due to how many scrolls sit on her floor. She had probably forgotten to eat too, that woman and her lack of meals. Kassandra rolls her eyes before turning back downstairs and fixing her a plate.

Kassandra can hear Kyra reorganizing the scrolls behind her so she turns around, extending the plate once Kyra finishes. "Here, eat."

Kyra thanks her and digs in like she's not eaten in years. It was endearing to finally see her a little disheveled and Kassandra also like the fact that she was able to take care of her for once.

"How was your time out with Darieos and company? Did you find who you were looking for?" Kyra asks, still eating her food.

Kassandra had thought about sugarcoating it because Kyra seemed taken by Darieos for whatever stupid reason, but she didn't want to give him any extra support in the "wooing Kyra department" so she would be truthful. "Darieos was an unnecessary evil. How he made it so high in the ranks is beyond me. The man couldn't track an Ibex if it were standing right in front of him."

"That bad? What did you do about it?" Kyra seems interested in her day, but there really wasn't much else to it.

"There was nothing I could do without causing a scene. I found the missing men, I freed them, but Darieos took all the credit. The life of a hired misthios I suppose" Kassandra didn't mean it to sound as self deprecating as it did, but it's not like she didn't think that on occasion. Too many times she was written off by her profession for it not to get to her.

"You and I both know you're not just some misthios" Kyra comments and Kassandra appreciates her support. "You are literally the misthios, you've created a name for yourself that you can be proud of. Do not let some hack steal your glory."

Kyra's words were oddly touching, nobody really had ever stood up for her before so this was new. Kyra didn't know what went on, but she still supported and encouraged her to not just sit idly by. Kassandra wasn't sure of what to say so she doesn't. They fall into a comfortable silence as Kyra finishes her food.

Kassandra was about to go take a seat when a knock on the door surprised her. She was not expecting company and it seemed unlikely that Kyra was either or else she'd have mentioned something by now. Turning towards the door, she sees Kyra's hand on the handle and lurches forward to stop her.

Too many cultists in their midst for her to just allow Kyra to open a door, at night, without anything to protect herself. She didn't want to overreact so she asks the question. "Were you expecting a guest?"

"No actually, are you?" Kyra whispers, confirming what Kassandra was concerned about.

Not wanting Kyra to be in harm's way, she takes point. "Step back, I will handle this."

Kassandra pulls back the door just enough to make out the face of the mystery guest. He was a scrawny looking man and she could easily take him if it came to it. 

He was holding a letter in his hand and Kassandra opens the door a bit wider until her body was blocking the opening as much as possible.

"Message for the Eagle Bearer" the man says as he hands her a letter, retreating quickly as soon as it's within her grasp.

Kassandra looked around to see if anything seemed out of the ordinary. She wouldn't put it past the cult to lure her out into something so they could get the jump on her. She couldn't see anything suspicious so she retreats back inside and opens up the letter.

"I didn't realize they delivered messages so late" Kyra comments.

"They don't" Kassandra answers, still suspicious until she looks at who the letter is from.

Phaedra had sent her this letter for whatever reason, odd since they just saw each other this morning, but she would look it over now in case anything important was on it.

"Kassandra,

I write you this to warn you of tomorrow's events, at least it had better be tomorrow or I will find the man who promised a delivery by tonight and beat him with a whip. 

Anyway, you and Kyra will be told a story about Athenian rogues on the loose, but rest assure that it is not true. I had told you that I would help in getting you and Kyra more time together so I concocted this as your way in. They will heighten security no doubt, thus forcing your hands together.

You can thank me later.

P."

Kassandra had not expected this at all, but she should've known to never doubt Phaedra when she set her mind to something. 

She's so focused on the letter that she doesn't notice Kyra had moved closer until her hand was on her arm. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes, quite fine. It was from Phaedra, she had forgotten to tell me something before she left" Kassandra answers as truthfully as possible without giving it away.

Kyra doesn't just let it go though as she comments further. "Must be important if it couldn't wait the couple days she'll be gone."

"It was nothing, really" Kassandra assures, trying her best to end the conversation.

She needed to think of how to discreetly dispose of this letter before Kyra caught sight of it. Her eyes catch on the candles before her gaze falls back on Kyra and Kassandra all of a sudden doesn't feel so good about this.

Kyra looked sad, hurt even, and Kassandra realized it was all connected to the letter. The last one they got outed Kassandra's mishap with Thaletas so she probably thinks this is something bad against her.

Before Kassandra could speak up to quell any doubt, Kyra fills the silence. "I am feeling tired all of a sudden, I think I'm going to go and lay down."

The look she gives Kassandra wasn't lost and Kassandra knew she had inadvertently hurt her feelings by not sharing the contents. She couldn't let Kyra see this though, she couldn't know. Taking one of the candles, Kassandra sets fire to the center of it and watches the few seconds it takes for the letter to become nothing but ash.

Kassandra quickly heads for the stairs and see Kyra standing between the two rooms. She didn't want Kyra to leave her, that was a fact, so she had to do something to get her to stay. 

She didn't want to talk about the letter, but she had an idea to get herself back in Kyra's good graces. "I am sorry we did not have the day together." 

"It's fine, you did what you had to do" Kyra comments, but Kassandra knows she's disappointed still.

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean I didn't wish it had been different" and that was the truth. Kassandra had not wanted to walk away from her today, but she had no choice as it was a direct order from the King.

"That's life unfortunately. We live better in hindsight than we ever do in the present" Kyra responds, her voice deflating at the pessimistic advice.

Kassandra wants her to feel better and she knows of only one way to do that so she steps up until her chest is pressed against Kyra's back and she let's her hands settle on her waist. "That is a shame because the present is beautiful."

Kassandra feels Kyra tense beneath her touch, but not in the way she wanted. It was clear by what she felt that Kyra was not comfortable with this escalating. 

"I- I can't" Kassandra hears Kyra mutter, almost inaudible, but the message was clear.

Kassandra removes her hands immediately, having misread the situation. Of course Kyra didn't want that, they had hardly even spoken since the incident yet alone be physical. That usually did the trick, but she would have to think of something different and fast. 

She looks into her room and sees the few lingering scrolls left and it gives her an idea. She grabs Kyra's hand and turns her around. "I know you said you're tired, but I got to thinking that maybe you'd be interested in hearing some tales from me. Since you did a lot of reading about my family, I just thought I could share some too if, you know, you're interested..."

Kyra smiled at her suggestion, giving Kassandra hope that she had successfully saved herself from that mishap earlier. "I would love to hear your stories Kassandra."

Everything else that night went perfectly. She and Kyra sat comfortably as she tells her every story she can think of. As she tells the stories, Kassandra is brought back to the memories and, for better or worse, they were hers and hers alone. It still felt good to share this part of her life with Kyra, especially when she told her of Markos and their partnership.

They eventually readjust so they're laying in bed and Kyra was wrapped snuggly in her arms and all felt right with the world. Having her like this was something she'd never grow tired of. She sleeps without interruption for the first night in months.

Kassandra wakes early, but instead of getting up, she takes the opportunity to hold Kyra a bit closer in her arms, warming when Kyra willingly moves to be closer to her as well. She must have accidentally woken Kyra because she moves to cover her eyes before she looks up.

"Good morning," Kassandra hums, feeling content, "how did you sleep?"

Kyra still looks a bit sleepy and Kassandra felt bad about waking her, but she did enjoy having her awake and close as well. 

Kyra's voice was still laced with sleep when she gives her an answer. "Like a log apparently. I didn't even wake up when you must've woken up at some point in the night. I'm sorry."

"I actually slept soundly too, no issues or anything" Kassandra proudly shares, knowing this was a big deal.

Kyra's smile goes wide enough to crinkle her eyes. "Oh Kassandra, that's wonderful to hear. I am pleased you were finally able to get a full nights sleep."

Kassandra was going to give credit where credit was due. "Guess I just had the right person helping me."

Kyra looks a bit flushed, her head turning away just ever so. "It was all you Kassandra, you're the one who put in the work."

It was not like Kyra to dismiss a praise of any caliber and she was not going to let her start now. "Since when do you refuse a compliment? That's now the second time you've tried to downplay something you had a hand in within a couple days."

"I can take a compliment!" Kyra protests and Kassandra can feel Kyra poke her in the stomach. "I just don't think I can be credited with this."

She needed Kyra to understand that she couldn't have done any of this without her. She never knew what she was missing in life until Kyra waltzed in. Even then, she had no idea that their meeting would change her life. "Trust me, this is not because of anything I did. You've been here when I needed you, even if I haven't admitted it, and I just wanted to thank you for it."

"Well, uh, you're welcome" Kyra answers her before she all but bolts off the bed. "We should get going, we've got a busy day ahead of us."

If only she knew the half of it. It would be a busy day, but not for the reason she's expecting. Kassandra felt a little guilt for not telling Kyra about the false threat, but she did want that time with her, for them to be close with once more, so it was necessary. She still was a bit bitter for Kyra constantly sending her away and for having to resort to such extreme methods, but hopefully this would allow them to mend their fragile structure.

"You mean you'll have a busy day. I'll just be sent away and be left to find someway to not be bored to death" Kassandra whines as she sits up, not wanting to give away anything so she answers as if she was unaware of anything Phaedra had said.

Kyra looks to her sympathetically or perhaps with pity. "I didn't think you enjoyed the politics, I thought I was doing you a favor." 

Is that what she's calling that? A favor? That is utterly ridiculous and a lie. "Yeah, right" she mumbles.

Kassandra wasn't stupid, she knew that Kyra was repulsed by the sight of her when they were fighting and she got sent away because Kyra had the power to. She never left voluntarily, she was always given an order. She can't help but feel a little heated now with Kyra so casually lying to her face so she needed to remove herself from the situation. "I'm just going to go, I'll see you later."

Kassandra grabs for her things before walking out the door as Kyra calls for her to wait. She doesn't though as she'll see her within only a few minutes anyway so this time on the walk, alone, would be for her.

Kassandra doesn't bother to enter the court without Kyra so she bends down to pick up a small rock and leans against one of the pillars, flicking it into the air and catching it.

Her solitude is not long as she spots Kyra approaching in the distance. She keeps her little game up until Kyra is standing right in front of her, ripe with an apology on her tongue. "I'm sorry about earlier."

Kassandra holds in a scoff, she knows damn well Kyra's not sorry for it so she stays silent until Kyra's hand grabs her own and interlaces their fingers.

Kassandra could not handle her touch right now after what had just transpired. "Just...don't, please, just don't. I don't need your false sympathy. I know why and it just doesn't make it easier to deal with so don't."

Kyra doesn't press on (thankfully) and they head inside only to get ushered into the throne room, just as Phaedra predicted. Aeschylus goes on to ramble about everything Phaedra had told her about. She wonders how she managed to make this all happen. 

"Well, I'll be damned" Kassandra mutters under her breath as her eyes peruse the room around her.

Everyone's faces were that of shock, Kyra's included, and Kassandra felt a little bad knowing they were all going to panic for nothing, but equally as impressed at Phaedra's resourcefulness. Still, she wasn't too happy that this was the only way she would get the time with Kyra.

"What was that?" Kassandra hears Kyra ask, bringing her attention back to the two of them.

Kyra must've heard her comment and there really wasn't a good explanation for it so she needed to segway this conversation. "Nothing, nothing, it's not important."

"You're agitated Kassandra so it's clearly not nothing. What is wrong?" Kyra prods and Kassandra wonders for a split second if she should tell her the truth when they're both interrupted by Darieos wanting to speak with Kyra, alone.

That man really got to her and she would love nothing more than to put his pompous ass into the ground. Kyra, of course, eagerly accepts his request, but not before pulling her in close to whisper in her ear, "this conversation is not over," before pecking her cheek and walking away.

Kyra would be mistaken if she thought Kassandra was going to out Phaedra for causing all of this because she knows how unhappy Kyra would be. She was too deep in it now to do anything but press onward.

Kyra's little excursion didn't last too long, but Kyra seemed eager to pick up where they seemed to have left off. "What were you going to tell me before we got interrupted?"

"I wasn't" Kassandra says as she looks everywhere but Kyra.

"Can we please not fight? We've been doing so well and I would hate to see us step back in our progress" Kyra comments.

Kassandra just really, really wants a change of topic or else they would most definitely get into an argument. "I'm not fighting with you, but you need to know when to let things die. Not everything is worth discussing."

"I see," Kyra muses, "well if that is how you feel, consider yourself relieved from your duties to me professionally."

"Wait, what?" Kassandra questions, feeling completely blindsided by this turn of events. This was something so small and insignificant so surely that must not be the case.

"You heard me" Kyra challenges her. "Consider this," Kyra points between them like Kassandra recalls doing not long ago, "finished. I will not be surrounded by someone who refuses to speak openly with me."

For as much as Kyra claimed she didn't want to fight, she sure as hell was doing a good job at poking the bear. Not only that, but Kyra had the gall to walk away from her so she follows her outside.

If Kyra was refusing to be around her, this would also mean that someone else would be placed by her side during this "crisis" of made up enemies. "You would rather be with a stranger? Is that what you're telling me? You'd rather shack up with a stranger instead of letting go of a pointless conversation?"

"I would consider Darieos far from a stranger" Kyra comments.

Fucking Darieos, that weasel! That's what he must have wanted to talk to Kyra about. The fucking nerve of that man to propose such a thing right under Kassandra's nose. "Him?! You're going to walk away from me for him?"

"You say that like you're not the one pushing me his direction!" Kyra argues back. "All I've wanted, all I've ever wanted, is for you to talk to me, but I see that I've been stupid for holding onto false hope."

"You've slept with him, haven't you?" Kassandra regrets the words as soon as she says them. They taste bitter in her mouth and the implication behind them feels even worse.

"God forbid I spend time with anyone and enjoy their company" Kyra tosses her hands up in exasperation. "Unlike you, Darieos actually wants to be around me and doesn't find it a chore to have an actual conversation with me and for your information, Kassandra, I wasn't going to say yes! I cannot believe you still think like this of me, that I'd be willing to throw my attention to every person that shows even the slightest interest in who I am. Gods Kassandra, you are suffocating me! I cannot be around you anymore, I just can't take it. I am going back inside to take Darieos up on his offer and I will remain with him from now on. I will have Phaedra bring me my things when she gets back."

Shock to nobody, but Kassandra had fucked up royally yet again. She took this opportunity Phaedra created for her and she casted it aside for a petty argument. What should have been quality time together was now a blow up of massive proportions. She needed to fix.

"Kyra, don't do this," Kassandra practically begs, "I'm sorry, please."

Kyra pauses and just as Kassandra thinks Kyra is willing to hear her out, Kyra obliterates her with a venom she's never seen before. Kassandra bore witness as Kyra's final straw broke and the words came pouring out in rapid succession about Kassandra and her behavior. Calling her out for her actions (or lack thereof) and calling her bluff.

Kassandra had always rested on the knowledge that Kyra would eventually forgive her because she loved her, but there was no love in any of what she was saying. Kyra was right about everything. That she only said what Kyra wanted to hear, that she hadn't actually changed at all from the person she once knew. Every single piece was spot on so Kassandra could only stand there as Kyra's rightful fury berated her word for word.

Kassandra couldn't say anything so now she was here, at home, wallowing, while Kyra was with Darieos doing god know what. What a complete malaka she's been!

Kassandra's rage was too much so she slides back in her seat abruptly and flips over the dining room table, sending its contents shattering to the ground. She wanted to break everything in sight, but she held back knowing how livid her mater would be when she came home to a destroyed house. Not wanting that lecture, Kassandra picks up the table and puts it back as it was, the glass on the floor she would deal with later from the broken vase. She needed to do something though or she would combust so she heads out towards the woods to find something heavy. The only way she was going to calm down was if she made herself exhausted so Kassandra found the largest rocks she could find and began throwing them around. 

Kassandra did her best thinking during physical activity so not only was she relieving herself from the anger, but she was going to give Kyra exactly what she wanted now that she's had the time to think.

"You want me gone?" Kassandra grunts as she heaves the large rock towards a tree, shattering it from the sheer force. "I'll be gone."

Kassandra would not stay where she was not wanted so she would head to Paros like they had wanted her to and throw herself back into what she knows. Sparta needed Paros back and Kassandra would deliver it to them. She could put Kyra out of her mind and focus on the fight. Determined, Kassandra marches her way back to the court to speak with Aeschylus and forcefully demands that she be allowed to leave. 

Aeschylus must have been having the best day of his life with her departure. He happily granted her request and said they would be sending ships in the next few weeks.

Kassandra considers the wait when she remembers something she's not considered in quite some time. "I don't need your ships Aeschylus, I have my own." 

She had forgotten about the Adrestia with Barnabas and the crew. Barnabas had made it clear when they left one another that this would always be her ship and her crew so it was time for her to take her place back at the helm. She would send Ikaros with a note to retrieve them and she would take it from there. Finally some good news in this perpetual bad news situation.

She had been out for quite some time and it was getting darker out so Kassandra, now well spent, was going to go home and try to go to bed. What she didn't expect to see as she approached was Brasidas standing in the doorway with a bag, holding the reigns of two horses saddled with tons of food, gear, and various items. If Kyra was only moving her things into Darieos' place, there would surely be no need for such an abundance of goods.

Kassandra began to move forward to confront them about the horses before something in her mind told her to stop, wait, and watch. She takes cover behind the large tree in their yard and watches as Brasidas and Kyra place cloaks around their necks and they both flip up the hoods as they saddle up their horses and take off.

Something definitely was suspicious here and Kassandra intended to find out what. Summoning Phobos, she takes off in the direction that she last saw them. They had headed south which made no sense as there was nothing of any importance that way besides a few fishermen villages, but that's all there really was. She considers the port too, but why would they need that?

And then it all clicked.

Kyra wasn't just leaving her, she was leaving Sparta too.

Kassandra had been going through a whirlwind of emotions all day, but the thought that Kyra was going to leave her and not say anything cut deeper than she had ever imagined. She knew Kyra was mad at her, but she must've been planning this for a while now if she had a ship waiting. Kyra had been wanting free from her for god knows how long now and Kassandra had no idea. Before today, she thought they had been getting better, but Kyra still wanted to leave. Well, Kassandra was not about to let her go like this. If she wanted to leave, she was going to say it directly to her face. 

Kassandra urges Phobos to ride as fast as possible as she was going to beat them to the docks. She couldn't take the main road so she needed to make up time. Thankfully, Phobos was no ordinary horse and he could handle anything Kassandra tossed his way.

When Kassandra arrives, there was only one ship docked and she knew it to be the one. She wasn't sure his name, but she recognized the captain as a friend of Brasidas' so she had not missed them. She would now wait for the two of them to arrive and explain just what in gods name was going on. Fortunately for her sanity, she didn't have to wait long.

The two of them pull up only to see Kassandra standing in front of them, arms folded across her chest.

"What a surprise to see you both here on this fine evening. Out for a nice ride?" Kassandra inquires as she walks closer to them.

"I told you she would know" Brasidas comments to Kyra as he hops off his horse.

Kyra follows suit, lowering her hood as she unfasten her things. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be Kassandra."

"Harder?" Kassandra scoffs. "From where I'm standing, it looks like you're the one about to leave without telling anyone, without telling me! So forgive me for being a little upset about it."

"What do you want me to say Kassandra?" Kyra asks aggravated.

Kassandra wants to walk right up to her, but if she was willing to go through these measures for Kassandra to not find her, they must have been worse off than she imagined. "How long? How long have you been planning this escape?"

"Escape?" Kyra questions. "This is not some grand scheme. You make it sound like I'm a prisoner fleeing their captor."

"Aren't you though?" Kassandra says with intensity, tears brimming. If this was her last chance to say her piece, she was going to take it. "That's all I've been to you since you got that letter. I've just been holding you hostage with my mere presence. Did you not think I didn't know why you'd send me away? You couldn't bear the sight of me. I was a staunch reminder of everything bad that's happened. It got me thinking that maybe you were right, maybe I should have been the one who died that night because then you wouldn't be looking at me like that. You wouldn't have to deal with me anymore and you wouldn't have been subjected to all of this misery."

"If I wanted you dead Kassandra, I'd have let you been killed back on Delos!" Kyra shouts. "I didn't almost watch you get murdered by some brute only to secretly wish you dead the next moment!"

"What did you just say?" Kassandra asks, taken back by what exactly Kyra was referencing. She couldn't have possibly known about what happened in the tavern as Kassandra had only shared snippets of it with Barnabas. The only way she could have know was if...

"You saved me?" Kassandra questions it aloud for her own comprehension before it all clicks. "You saved me." 

Kyra had been the one to save her life that night. Kassandra knew she was mere moments away from death as she remembers wishing for it by the end, but it never came. Some act of the gods saved her life and she never questioned it, but now it made sense. Her recollection was still fuzzy on some of the details, but she can still remember how she was manhandled like a ragdoll. All Kassandra knew was that someone had saved her that night and treated her injuries. She didn't stay for long enough to thank them as she was in a rush, but there was no doubt now that Kyra was her guardian angel that night.

She had thought she recognized a scent of someone familiar and, standing so close to Kyra, she could smell it again. Kassandra doesn't know why it never clicked for her before, most likely because she tried to block it from her memory, but now, it was taking her back. Kassandra could remember being temporarily blinded by the amount of blood in her eyes and her head was ringing due to the blow she sustained, but she could tell someone was trying to speak to her. After that, her memory is fuzzy, but she does remember waking up to the scent she smells now and finding comfort in it. Her darkened world got a little brighter and now she knows why.

It was Kyra. 

It's always been Kyra.

There was still one question she needed to hear an answer to though, one that has stuck with her since it happened, but one she's never vocalized.

"And the Adrestia?" Kassandra looks to her for an explanation. "Why did you follow me?" 

"Because you just disappeared!" Kyra states the obvious. "I had gone to find us some food and when I came back, you were nowhere to be found. After how badly you were injured, I just needed to see that you were ok because I know you're stubborn like that and I just needed the peace of mind that you were alive. I never intended to stow away on your ship, but as I saw the Adrestia setting sail I panicked and just reacted."

"Why didn't you ever tell me this?" There was nothing accusatory in Kassandra's voice, but she desperately wanted to know why Kyra had never told her this before now.

"I didn't want you to feel obligated to me" Kyra says the words and Kassandra feels like someone was stepping on her chest. "I wanted you to be with me for me, not because you owed me a debt. I knew that if I told you, you'd feel obligated to me and I've never wanted that for you."

Of course Kyra would be so selfless, again, to not cause a disruption to her own life. Gods, how can she be so fucking stupid?!

"Kyra, I-" Kassandra tries to speak, but her words fail her. 

What could she even say to all of this? Kyra had not only saved her life, but she's been protecting it ever since. Any doubt of Kyra's love for her vanished and Kassandra felt like the world's biggest asshole for what she's put Kyra through. The fog she had created in her mind cleared in an instant and she could see so clearly now what she wasn't able to accept before. Kyra had always been so selfless with her, even when Kassandra couldn't recognize it. She had always shown Kassandra such love and Kassandra only ever gave her a hard time because she couldn't accept that she loved her too.

Kassandra looks at Kyra like she's seeing her for the first time in a long time. She no longer saw what her mind had wanted her to believe, that Kyra despised her, instead, she saw Kyra for the true blessing she was. She had taken Kyra for granted and she would never be able to express how sorry she was if she apologized for every second of every day. She had taken this gift Kyra had given her and left it battered and bruised, tossed off to the side. Kassandra did not deserve to have Kyra, she didn't deserve to have a wonderful ray of sunshine illuminating her world.

"Look, Kassandra, I need to go" Kyra changes the topic and Kassandra realizes her time has run out as Kyra looks back towards the awaiting boat where Brasidas is standing. "I hope you can find what you're looking for here."

Kassandra's mind is screaming for her to break the silence, to say the words she's been too much of a coward to say. 

Tell her already! Tell her to stay with you, here in Sparta. That you both could be happy together.

Kyra tilts her head at Kassandra's silence, but continues on despite the lack of response. "I hope we can meet again someday on better terms."

Kyra leans in and places a light kiss on her cheek to say what may be their final goodbye.

Kassandra wants to cry at the thought, but her face remains stoic even as she's dying inside. She could not bear the thought of this being their last time. Her mind is still screaming at her to do something, anything. 

Tell her you love her and that you're only looking for her, for the rest of your life. That she is the reason your heart still beats, that she is the very air you need to breathe. You could never be without her, not in this life or the next. 

She is leaving you! Just do something! Speak now for gods sake, do it now before it's too late!

But she doesn't.

Kassandra only watches as Kyra walks away from her to step on a boat destined for her home, her true home in Mykonos. Her heart was berating her for allowing her to leave, but Kassandra thinks this is the first genuinely good thing she's ever done for Kyra. Kyra didn't deserve all this from her and she certainly couldn't ask her to stay after everything they've been through. Guess she's finally facing those consequences after all.

Kassandra deserves to feel Kyra's absence. Kyra was too good for her and this conversation showed her that. If Kyra wanted to leave, she wouldn't stop her, hell, she wouldn't blame her. Kassandra knew she's only caused problems for her since they met and as deeply as she loved her, she wouldn't put her through the pain anymore.

Kassandra remains frozen in place as the world seems to slow around her. Kyra's ship sets sail and she can do nothing but watch until the ship becomes just another speck in the distance. All she could do was watch the most important person in the world to her take off into the distance until it was no more.

She's not sure how long she remains rooted to the ground, but it didn't matter anymore. Kassandra felt numb, a sensation she's never quite felt before. Her body felt heavy and she could feel an actual ache inside her chest, crushing her with each passing second.

Today would be forever infamous for making Kassandra's world a little less bright. The sun would still shine and the moon will still glow, time will move on with or without her. There will always be a reminder, a fog, that would forever diminish life as she knew it and there would be no more sunny days, not now, not ever.

Today was a day of mourning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you thought I'd forgotten about the craziness back on Delos back towards the earlier chapters, hmm? Not in this house, here we go full circle!
> 
> Everything has a point and everything is connected.


	25. Neon Love (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a day late, but it is better than nothing at all. Last week was incredibly busy and I did a lot of traveling so most of this didn't even get written until yesterday. I'm doing the two part like I did several chapters ago because this is not all I wanted to say, but it is all I had time for so I've increased the chapter count as well.
> 
> Also want to toss out that there's a 90% chance you won't get an update this Sunday as I am currently en route to Greece and will be there for a week and a half. I will write in whatever free time I have and on the flight so who knows.
> 
> The tone is very different from the last and deals with Kassandra in both the present and in flashbacks. Hope you enjoy!

Death would be more suitable than how she feels now. There was a weight on her chest that just won't go away and the nights have become so unbearable that she hardly sleeps. When she does, she's plagued with haunting visions of Kyra, taunting and tormenting her. Too many nights she bolts awake in a cold sweat, grabbing at her chest to feel her heart beating rapidly.

It had been four months since Kyra left her standing on the shore, four months since she watched the love of her life leave her with no plan to ever return. Kassandra had suffocated their love like a smoldering flame, depriving it of any oxygen until the low glow of amber turned to a blackened coal. All that was left was the faint trail of smoke until that too dissipated into nothing. There was no warmth left, nothing Kassandra could rekindle. She would be left standing alone in the dark and she had nobody to blame but herself.

Kassandra doesn't remember much of what happened the rest of that day. She knows she walked the entire way back, but that she wasn't in control of her limbs for the bulk of it. Her steps went one after another, as they should, but it was as if she were possessed by a phantom because she wasn't making them move. She had lost control over her mind and her body so perhaps the gods took pity on her broken shell and took over as Kassandra's relinquished her control. Her body got heavier with each passing step, but she wouldn't stop, she couldn't. 

Stopping would make everything true, make everything real. She knows that once she halts moving forward that she has no more excuses to hide behind. She would get hit with the cruel reality that Kyra was truly gone. Her bed back in Sparta would not ever feel the same again, missing the presence that she'd grown dependent upon. Her journey with the cult would no longer be one spent with companionship, but that of a bitter loneliness. Everything she thought she never needed, she did. The small taste of what life could truly be like was on the tip of her tongue. What was sweet turned into a deep bitterness that Kassandra couldn't cleanse no matter how hard she tried.

As she stands at the helm, she allows her mind to drift back to the first few days that had set her on this path.

_Kassandra wrote to Barnabas as soon as she got back and Ikaros had returned with his letter of arrival in only a matter of a day. As it turned out, Barnabas never sailed too far from where they had parted as none of the crew wanted to miss the call if she needed their help. Barnabas was yet another person that Kassandra didn't deserve to have in her life. A pariah in human form she was and she didn't want Barnabas to suffer the same fate as everyone else. He was too forgiving of a man, but she was selfishly grateful to still have his support._

_Saying goodbye to her mater and Phaedra was more difficult than she had imagined. They had grown into a routine and she had become adjusted to their presence. The incessant teasing from Phaedra and all the tender moments with her mater, time they were robbed of before, felt so natural. It just wasn't the same without Kyra though, the little makeshift family they had built. Kassandra knew they both felt the shift in their dynamic, even if neither of them commented on it. Kyra's absence was astoundingly loud in every sense of the word._

_The two of them arrived back two days after Kyra's departure and were surprised by Kassandra's confession about the events that had unfolded. There was no point in lying so she told them everything they had been through and why, ultimately, Kyra had left._

_"You're meaning to tell me that the entire Athenian threat was a ruse?!" Myrinne angrily questions. "Do you know how stupid that was to do? You put so many people in fear unnecessarily, and for what?"_

_"To be fair," Phaedra interjects, "it was a good idea because it would have worked if Kassandra hadn't messed it up."_

_She had never seen her mater so angry before in her life (which didn't say too much as their time has been brief), but Kassandra could see the flush creeping up her neck._

_"You, you are an idiot!" Myrinne yells at Phaedra before shifting her attention to Kassandra. "And don't you dare think you're getting out of this unscathed. What is wrong with you?"_

_"Tons" Phaedra mutters under her breath with a small snicker before Myrinne's death glare shut her up._

_"You both are so childish!" Myrinne scolds as she begins to pace. "Don't you think that both of you won't be punished for your actions. You may technically be adults, but you're the furthest thing from it right now. I am so disappointed in the both of you for such foolishness. Now go, I don't want to see you right now."_

_They didn't have to be told twice as they bolted for the door, making a hasty exit. Neither of them knew what to do so they just picked a direction and started walking._

_"Your mater is terrifying" Phaedra confesses as they dawdled along the road._

_"I've never seen her like this before" Kassandra responds, thankfully not having drawn her mater's wrath until now. "She's right though, we never should have done that."_

_"Eh, she'll get over it soon enough," Phaedra shrugs, "and as I said before, it was a perfect plan if not poorly executed. If anything, they should be thanking us as we just kept a bunch of high priority people under tight guard for a little while."_

_"I don't think they would see it that way" Kassandra points out the obvious flaw in her logic. "They would probably be very angry and maybe even kick us out of Sparta."_

_"It's not like we both couldn't have gotten back in if we wanted and you're far too valuable an asset for them to lose you" Phaedra states confidently. "Besides, Myrinne will punish us worse than anything the kings could do."_

_"Punish you, you mean" Kassandra corrects. "I will be leaving soon for Paros so there's not much she can do to me. You on the other hand... well, I just hope you like chores."_

_Phaedra falters in her step before coming to a hard stop. "You're leaving too? What! No. You can't go."_

_"I can't stay here," Kassandra confesses, "there's too many bad memories that I just cannot face. Everything reminds me of her and it is suffocating me."_

_"Did you tell her that you love her?" Phaedra asks, but knows the answer immediately by the look on Kassandra's face. "Oh Kassandra, no... why wouldn't you have told her? That could have fixed everything for you."_

_Kassandra can only shake her head at the wishful thinking. "It would have fixed nothing Phaedra, you didn't see how she looked at me. Nothing could've salvaged that."_

_"She has a right to know Kassandra," Phaedra says as she puts a comforting hand on Kassandra's shoulder, "you can't expect her to make an informed decision if she doesn't have all the facts."_

_Kassandra offers a sad smile before she steps out of her grasp, restarting their walk. "It would have felt cheap, like I was only trying to get her to stay. I wanted to say it when the time was right."_

_Phaedra scoffs at her words, apparently in disagreement. "You naive soul, there is no such thing as a "right time," it's made up by people who are afraid to act. A cowards phrase when it comes to love. It is always the right time."_

_"I have a hard time believing that when everything around me has basically collapsed," Kassandra expands her arms and spins a bit to emphasize her point, "so forgive me if I don't agree with you."_

_Phaedra opens her mouth to respond, but she clamps it shut at the last second, a distinct sound of her teeth clashing together. Kassandra waits in anticipation, but the silence lingered as they walked further and further away from town. They keep walking in a tense stillness for another few minutes before Kassandra has had enough._

_"Just say it!" Kassandra beseechs. "Whatever it is, just fucking say it!"_

_"You won't like it" Phaedra remarks as Kassandra laughs._

_"Like it?!" Kassandra sneers. "You think I've actually liked any of this conversation so far that this would be the final straw? Do us both a favor and get it over with."_

_Phaedra stops so fast that Kassandra almost slams into the back of her as she whirls around. "Ok tough guy, if that's how much of an ass you want to be then let me enlighten you."_

_Phaedra takes a quick glimpse around to see if they had an audience before she pokes her finger into Kassandra's chest. "I think you're absolutely petrified of showing who you actually are behind this well chiseled exterior. You're afraid that when Kyra gets a glimpse of who you truly are, that her leaving would shatter you. Well, news flash idiot, you fucked it up anyway and she did just that. You didn't even allow her to get close enough to make that decision for herself because you were too much of a fucking coward and you forced her hand. You had everything going for you and you still did the wrong thing. Time, opportunity, you name it, it was all right there in the palm of your hand and you crushed it!"_

_Phaedra presses her hands together and rests them over her nose and mouth, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "Why, Kassandra? Why after all the trouble you went through, that we went through, why would you do this? I don't understand."_

_Kassandra had nothing she could defend herself with. All of what Phaedra had said was true, at least mostly, and she couldn't give her an answer. Her behavior was reckless and selfish without reason and there was no excuse. She behaved poorly and that was completely on her, allowing jealousy to take its hold onto her heart._

_"I-," Kassandra tries to speak, but she doesn't even know what she could say. Nothing will change the outcome so what was the point? Phaedra couldn't solve this for her, nobody could._

_"Say it, Kassandra" Phaedra orders. "You know why, now say it."_

_"What good would it do Phaedra?" Kassandra answers wearily. "Is this just more material for you to tell me how awful I am? Because I already know that."_

_"Think of this as practice for you expressing your feelings," Phaedra encourages, "for when you get your shit together enough to fight for Kyra."_

_Kassandra rolls here eyes at the assumption, but Phaedra doesn't relent with pressing her. "If you don't tell me, I am going to nag you until you do. I am relentless and you know it."_

_Irritation would be putting how she's feeling mildly, but she did know Phaedra would be a literal pain in her ass until she caved and just said it. Was it worth it to drag this out? No._

_"I was... jealous" Kassandra whispers softly, the words barely escaping her lips as she tilts her chin down. The shame of what she's feeling is intense and she doesn't know if she can say it while looking her in the eyes. Only once she finishes does she dare look up._

_Phaedra doesn't look impressed, at all. "Oh I'm sorry, didn't quite catch that since I don't have the hearing of a bat! How about you try that again, but louder this time, hmm?"_

_"You heard me," Kassandra defends, "so just let it go."_

_"No, Kassandra, I don't think I did. Again. Say it," Phaedra commands as she stands with her hands fisted against her hips, "say it and I'll let it go."_

_"Ughhh," Kassandra groans, "you're such an asshole."_

_"Tell me something I don't know" Phaedra snarks. "You're not the first and you won't be the last. At least I'm an asshole who knows what she's doing so let's hear it, I don't have all day."_

_"I was jealous! Happy?" Kassandra shouts, her emotions getting the better of her. "I was jealous of anyone she showed even the slightest interest in because I knew I was hiding things from her. I was insecure about what I could offer her so I panicked and ruined everything."_

_Phaedra relaxes her stance and takes a step closer to Kassandra. "You're miserable Kassandra, of course I'm not happy, but it is important you learn to do this without fighting so damn much. Talking, like this, is what people do, it's what they expect. Not everyone is your enemy, you can't keep your walls up forever."_

_"Nobody understands!" Kassandra lashes out. "You've not seen what I've seen. You've not been thrown to your death only to survive. You've not been mercilessly hunted all of your life. You've not had to kill just to survive!"_

_Kassandra can feel everything she's repressed over the years come forward with a vengeance, spilling out before she can contain it. "You have no idea what I've been through so don't you dare stand there and judge me and how I choose to survive! Trusting people will only get you killed and I've worked too hard to have it end now."_

_Kassandra couldn't allow herself to be vulnerable as it would get her killed. She did not scrape herself off the ground to have someone she trusted stab her in the back._

_Phaedra looks at Kassandra bewildered. "You think you're the only one who has been hurt? You think you're the only one who's has a horrible life? You don't own pain, Kassandra, and you never will. We all have our struggles and our faults, but there's a difference between people like you and people like me."_

_"By all means, please enlighten me" Kassandra sarcastically ushers with a swoop of her hand and a mock bow._

_"Sarcasm? Really?" Phaedra calls out Kassandra's childish behavior. "Suit yourself, but this won't go away. The difference is that I'm actually willing to get better, to be a better person, while people like you just mope around and curse the gods for their misfortunes. Woe is Kassandra, pity me."_

_"I need no one's pity," Kassandra dismisses, "that's ridiculous. And I don't mope."_

_"Lying is so unbecoming of you," Phaedra remarks, "please don't treat me like I'm an idiot. That's all you've been doing and you've even done it while she was still here! It was like walking on glass and for fucks sake, stop getting so defensive!"_

_"And, before you even start, yes you are" Phaedra takes the words right from of Kassandra's mouth. "You're not as hard to read as you like to think you are. Try to do better, not just for Kyra, but for yourself. Find something to channel this pain into or I'm afraid it will consume you and you will be lost."_

Kassandra had not yet found an outlet for this pain, but Phaedra was right, she needed to try something different. Fighting only pauses the pain and, even then, her mind still flashes to her fighting with Kyra by her side on the Adrestia, having her so near. No, this wasn't healthy anymore and she was doing the exact thing she claimed she wouldn't do. She was wallowing in her own misery and she didn't care who else it damaged. She could see it on the faces of Barnabas, her crew, and her fellow Spartans on Paros. Her ill mood was putting a damper on everyone around her and she could no longer ignore it. It does beg the question of just what she could do to solve this, but she knew just who to talk to that might know.

The waters were clear as far as the eye could see so there was no looming threats plaguing her mind. Paros was almost all but under Spartan control again so they would rotate patrols to ensure no supplies or backup could arrive. It may only be a couple more weeks before the Athenians are flushed out of hiding due to lack of food and water so it was all but won. Kassandra knows she could have done all this much faster if she were allowed to go alone, but she had submitted herself to Spartan command (for the most part) and she would play by their rules. The lack of any real danger allowed her some free time as it was her turn to guard the shores and her crew was more than capable to warn her if anything arose.

She needed to speak with Barnabas.

He was never too far from her side, ever the loyal companion he was and she was grateful that she never had to doubt it. Barnabas was a man rarely seen in the world, a man so selfless and kind, he was a true find. Stumbling into Barnabas all those years ago was probably one of the best things that's ever happened to her. He was a bit odd, but those oddities were nothing compared to his compassion and his optimism. If anyone could help her figure out what to do, it was him.

Kassandra hops down onto the deck and heads towards the bow, spotting him easily. He appeared to be spinning a tale she's heard several times already, but the men were hanging off his every word. Each retelling, a detail would become a little different, but that's half the fun with most of these stories. You will always have the truth, but some harmless bravery or danger tossed in only adds to the allure.

Barnabas doesn't take long to finish as she caught him at the end of this particular story so she waits patiently for him to turn so they may speak. She knew she could put a stop to this moderately fabricated tale, but she would never rob him of such a joy, even if it does mention Kyra and Mykonos, but that doesn't mean the rest of the crew would be so kind. One of the men points behind him to point her out.

"Oh Kassandra! Terribly sorry I didn't see you" Barnabas apologizes, realizing Kassandra had most likely been standing there for a while. "I was just telling the men here about our bout with the Athenians back on... on..."

Barnabas realizes his dilemma as nobody had mentioned Mykonos nor Kyra since Kassandra came back on board. He had never been told not to talk about it, but he made sure the chatter was to an absolute minimum whenever Kassandra was near.

"Mykonos, on the beach" Kassandra finishes his train of thought. "It was quite the night."

"Ah yes, yes it was," Barnabas hastily agrees before trying to change the subject, "but there are much better battles I can speak of, something with more distance."

Kassandra can see Barnabas feels bad about having brought up the subject, but it actually helped her broach the conversation she wanted to have with him. 

"Actually, Barnabas, I was hoping to speak with you regarding... Mykonos." She knows she could've just said Kyra, but she's not spoken her name aloud since she's stepped on this ship.

"Really? With me?" Barnabas questions, clearly confused by Kassandra's interest on this subject, but he recovers quickly. "What am I saying? Of course, of course Kassandra."

Kassandra takes him down to her chamber where she takes a seat on her bed and he opts for the chair at her desk. She's feeling a bit nervous now, but she knows it's the right thing to do.

"Barnabas, I-..." Kassandra hesitates as this is not something she's ever had to ask for with this situation. "I, uh, would like your help. Please. If you don't mind."

Barnabas' face softens at her obvious struggle and he leans forward towards her in his attempt to comfort her. "I would do anything for you Kassandra, you just need to name it."

Kassandra smiles at his willingness to help before she's even asked her favor. She's not even sure if there is something that they can even do, but she can't keep living like this. "Thank you, Barnabas, but I'm not sure how easy a solution will come to my problem. I know I have not been the easiest person to deal with lately and there is no excuse for my bad behavior."

Barnabas looks like he's about to protest her difficulty, but Kassandra wasn't having any of that. "Don't you dare, Barnabas. You know as well as I that I have been awful. I want the truth in this discussion so do not hold your tongue to spare my feelings."

Barnabas appears to be mulling over his words carefully before he speaks. "Well, I wouldn't say awful, but yes, you've been different since you've returned."

Still so kind even after she's asked for the truth. Kassandra doubts he'd ever speak an ill word against her so she was going to have to do most of the talking for now. "I have been cold and distant and I can never apologize enough. My personal life going to ruin is no excuse to treat you so poorly. I know I cannot make it up to you and I do not have the right to ask for your assistance in what I'm about to, but I'm going to anyway."

Kassandra steels herself for the flood of emotions she's going to endure again by telling him of Kyra, of what happened, but he needs to know it all. She spares almost no details on their excursions together and she tells of their rise and ultimate fall and everything in between. Barnabas, to his credit, only listens as she goes on and on with the never ending details and he seems completely focused on her.

"So, after all this, what I'm looking to try to do is to help myself" Kassandra admits. "I never ask for help, but I fear I am too far out of my depth to continue alone so I ask you for your advice. I just want to make it hurt less. What should I do?"

"Matters of the heart are never easy, especially when one shares a love so strong like you and Kyra do" Barnabas speaks as he moves to sit adjacent to Kassandra on the bed. "I don't think there is a way to make it hurt any less, but I do have a suggestion. It was something I used to do in my younger years that I found cathartic. It may be of interest."

"I'm willing to try anything at this point," Kassandra looks over to Barnabas, her face forlorn, "I'm desperate. I hate who I've become and I can try to pretend I'm fine, but I'm not."

Barnabas rests his hand on top of her own before giving it a small squeeze. "My advice? Write it all down. I know you're not one for words so this would be the best way for you to express yourself without worrying if you're saying the right thing. There would be no rush and there would be nobody waiting for an answer. It is just you and your thoughts. You can write however you want, to whomever you choose."

Kassandra is intrigued by the suggestion, but she's not sure if it is the right thing. "Doesn't that seem a bit... I don't know... ridiculous? I mean, I'm a misthios, Barnabas, feelings don't come with the job."

"That's the beauty of a letter!" Barnabas exclaims in excitement. "You never have to share it with another person if you don't desire to, it can be for your eyes only if you so choose so nobody has to know that under your tough exterior beats the heart of an actual person. Besides, what have you got to lose?"

Barnabas made a solid point, what did she have to lose by trying this? Sure, it's a bit unorthodox, but if it could possibly help her then there's no excuse as to why she shouldn't give it a try. "Thank you, Barnabas. I appreciate your help. I will give it a try."

"That's my girl," Barnabas cheers as he stands up to take his leave, "give it a try and the worst thing that could happen is that you don't like it and you stop, but you'll never know if you don't try."

Kassandra gives Barnabas a small nod before he exits, leaving her alone with her thoughts once more. "Ok Kassandra, you can do this. It's just a letter, just tell Kyra what you're feeling since you're clearly incapable of doing it in person."

Kassandra stares at the papyrus, but she finds herself stuck. How should she even start this? "Hi Kyra," no, too informal so maybe "Dearest Kyra," but that's perhaps too personal. This shouldn't be so difficult and yet, here she is mulling over an introduction. What does it even matter? Kyra will never see these so she needs to not try so hard, but she wanted to do it right. It is then that her mind unlocks and allows her to be free of the words she's been holding in.

_"Kyra,_

_I'm writing to you, well, a version of you that I've made up, in the hopes that I can figure myself out. I know you don't want anything to do with me and I don't blame you. I made your life so complicated and I think I've only caused you problems. These past four months have allowed me the time to reflect on my life and our life together and I have some things I need to explain._

_I know you don't want to hear me say sorry, but I can actually say I am. You were right before, I was only apologizing because I knew it would mask the problems we were having. I knew my behavior needed to change, but I was too much of a coward to go through with it. I had figured that since you loved me, that would be enough. I took advantage of your feelings and I had no right to. You were always honest with me and I never repaid the favor._

_I never would have told you about Thaletas so it was probably for the best that my hand was forced. I was afraid to lose you to him, that you would be so overtaken with grief that your love for me would cease to exist. I realize now how foolish I was in that assumption, but I still need to tell you the truth, my truth. I do regret having to kill him for your sake, but I do not regret my actions. He made an attempt at me and only one of us would have walked away from that. I always knew it would be me, but I find myself thinking now that maybe it shouldn't have been._

_I rarely ever question my actions, but knowing you has changed everything. I find myself wondering what your life would have been like if I'd never arrived and I find myself mixed. On the one hand, you never would've had to deal with me, but then what of your people? What of your island? Your crew was as capable a bunch as I'd ever seen, but I won't pretend that I don't recognize my own impact. Perhaps if I had just ignored my attraction to you, you wouldn't be in this mess. Your islands would have been free and you and Thaletas would've been united. The thought pains me, but I find myself caring for what is best for you._

_For once, I was responsible for someone else, someone that I cared about and that's changed the way I thought, the way I acted. I never thought I'd be anyone different, but meeting you has changed my life for the better. Even though I don't want to face most days as of late, I do it anyway for the hope that I'll get the opportunity to see you once more. We are separated by only a strip of water so I hold out hope that, by chance, you'll end up on my shores again or I yours._

_I doubt you'd want to see me now, if ever again, so even if I did see you, I'm not sure I would approach. I've already disrupted you once, I don't think I could ever do it again. You deserve to have peace and find happiness, even if it is not with me by your side. It still does not stop my heart for aching for you, but this is a pain I will live with. Just knowing you are safe is enough for me, it has to be._

_I do feel a bit better though having written this so I'm sure I will write to you more as the days pass. I brings me a comfort that I've not had since you left, like I still have a part of you with me._

_Until next time."_

Kassandra had ink all over her hand and the writing was sloppy, but still legible. Barnabas had been right, this did seem to help and it would be their little secret. She would try to make this a weekly occurrence so her days were still fresh for her to share. It still didn't solve her problems, but it did help ease her mind of what had been bothering her. She will keep writing with the hope that she may one day be able to say this to Kyra herself. An optimistic dream, but one that she selfishly holds on to.

She had maintained her writing for the past two weeks and Kassandra found that she looked forward to it. Having that outlet has really helped her get her mood in check and she knew everyone around her was feeling better because of it. Paros was now under Spartan control once more and she would retell the events that unfolded and anything else that came to her mind. It was a time for celebration, but Kassandra didn't want to partake. 

With the requisition of Paros, she has no reason to stay out here. She always had a comfort that Mykonos was just across the horizon, but now she was free to leave. Her focus on the cult had shifted as she got wrapped up with the dealing of Paros so any lead she once held would be of no use any longer. She needed to start from scratch, but she had no clue where to begin. All she knew was that she was not returning back to Sparta.

Kassandra sits in her room on the Adrestia as it sits docked, contemplating her next steps when several hard knocks hit her door, jarring her from her thoughts. 

"Hey! Easy on the door or you're buying me a replacement!" Kassandra shouts, irritated by the disruption.

"Apologies captain, but there is an urgent message for you" a crew member announces, piquing her interest.

Kassandra gets up from her chair and opens the door, taking the letter from the man before he retreats away back to his post.

Kassandra examines the seal and recognizes it immediately as one that Kyra uses for her official documents. Immediately Kassandra's mind is jumping to worst case scenarios, but as soon as she starts reading it, it's clear the message is not from Kyra.

_"Eagle Bearer,_

_I hope this letter finds you in Paros and finds you with haste as this is a matter of utmost urgency. I am not sure at how true the gossip is, but I would not be doing my diligence if I did not inform you of what I've heard._

_It was long ago, but you've spoken to me about your brother and I believe him to be present in Mykonos. I found myself at the market late one evening and the name Deimos caught my ear. I believe this to be your brother, Alexios, that you've told me about. They spoke of a demigod with immense power, but I'm afraid I couldn't hear more or else I would have exposed myself. He sounds much like what some folks would describe you like._

_If you are interested in checking this lead, I would not waste any time in making your way here. I have not spoken of this to anyone, not even Kyra, so what you do with this information is up to you, but it must not be known that I warned you._

_Be safe._

_Sotiria."_

"Alexios." Kassandra whispers his name like a secret, afraid that if she says it too loud that he would hear it and run. "What could you possibly be doing there?"

Kassandra would not risk losing him again as she's already failed before. She had promised her mater that she would bring him back and that's exactly what she will do. It won't be easy, but he is the reason she's been on this crusade and she will never give up on him again.

It seems her next destination was decided for her and in the last place she'd have expected it. Kyra would no doubt notice the Adrestia coming into port, but the cult would also notice her ship and take precautions. For this, she would have to remain as inconspicuous as possible so it was time to go shopping.


	26. Neon Love (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like the 10% happened because do I have a chapter for you! I had more free time than I imagined as I completely overlooked the bus rides so I put that time to good use.
> 
> Greece is, by far, my absolute favorite place I have ever visited (and I'm very well traveled) and I already cannot wait to come back to see more! I also had something awesome happen the other day that directly relates to the game, but I won't clog this up and I will, instead, put it at the end for you all to read.
> 
> As always, please enjoy and let me know what you think!
> 
> Karmin - Neon Love  
> https://youtu.be/M-3tdR4vWdU

Kassandra had successfully grabbed a variety of new clothing, so now was the test. Upon her return to the Adrestia, she dragged Barnabas into her chamber for his opinion. She wasn't trying to hide per say, but she couldn't go in looking like she usually did. She found herself woefully unprepared in this department as the last time she wore anything remotely traditional was when she first met Perikles and Aspasia. Not that Barnabas had any more knowledge than she did, but she would at least be able to gauge his reaction.

"How do I look?" Kassandra asks as she walks out from her changing area.

Kassandra watches with interest as Barnabas' eyes go wide, taking in her new look.

"Oh my... you look..." Barnabas stammers out and Kassandra cannot help but to second guess her appearance.

"That bad? I thought it was ok" Kassandra rationalizes as she flattens out her palms across the fabric, a nervous reaction.

"No! No, not bad, just very different," Barnabas quickly recovers, "it is you, but nothing like you at the same time. It is a lot to take in, but you look wonderful. I like what you did with your hair too."

Kassandra had decided to forgo her trademark braid for something simpler in the form of a low ponytail. It wasn't as structured as she was used to and it would get in the way if she needed to move fast, but for its purpose, it would do just fine. The new hair along with the white peplos she was now wearing, she felt at least semi confident that she could pass the streets unnoticed. It didn't help that she spent a decent amount of time there before, but she would just have to hope that this new look of hers made her a more forgettable face.

"Tell me again, why are you not telling Kyra you're there again? Wouldn't she be willing to help you?" Barnabas questions.

"I told you, she doesn't want to see me and I don't want to disrupt her if this proves to be a false lead" Kassandra explains. "If there turns out to be something to it, I would entertain the idea, but I won't unsettle her until I have proof."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Barnabas raises the question out of concern. "Wouldn't it just be easier to announce yourself to her and get it out of the way?"

"It isn't that simple Barnabas," Kassandra sighs as she sits to put on her sandals, "we did not end on good terms and, as I just said, I don't want to disrupt her unless I have to."

"Of course," Barnabas reluctantly agrees, "whatever you think is best. Now, how were you arriving since you didn't want to take the Adrestia?"

Kassandra finishes lacing herself up and heads out of her room with Barnabas in tow. "There's a small fisherman's boat that I've secured a ride on that will take me into the port. I am going to try to get in contact with Sotiria shortly after I dock."

"How will you find her?" Barnabas inquires as they both climb above deck. "What will you do with your spear? Are you going to take it with you?"

Kassandra pauses as she had forgotten about her spear, but she would never leave it behind so she'd need to think of something. "I will find a child to run the message for me as using Ikaros is out of the question. I know where she stays so it shouldn't be too difficult and, after that, I'll just have to be patient."

Kassandra spots a tattered sail that they'd not repurposed yet so she goes and slices strips from it and makes herself a harness that hooks around her shoulders, leaving the pouch to dip down her back. "As for my spear, this will have to do as I'll not be without it. Does it look too conspicuous?"

Kassandra spins around to show Barnabas who can only smile at her. "Never change, Kassandra, your ingenuity always amazes me."

Kassandra blushes at the unexpected comment, but she shakes it off before he can tell. "Ok, so I don't know when I'll be back, but try to not get yourselves killed while I'm gone, ok?"

Barnabas laughs heartily as he clasps his hand on her shoulder. "Is that you saying you'd miss me?"

Kassandra rolls her eyes and, even though it was true, she'd not cave so easily. "Good help is hard to find so you being alive saves me a great inconvenience."

Barnabas removes his clasped hand and places it on his own chest. "You know just the right words to say to make a man feel loved."

Kassandra chuckles at his comment, having a witty response already on the ready. "Nothing I ever do is to make a man feel loved, in fact, it is usually quite the opposite."

Barnabas laughs even harder and Kassandra cannot help but join in as they clasp hands to say goodbye. Kassandra has to get a move on, but she could spare an extra minute for Barnabas.

Once the well wishes were out of the way, Kassandra made her way to the boat and settled in for the bumpy ride as Poseidon was not in a good mood. She was not prone to getting seasick, but she could feel each bump due to how small the boat was and she found herself desperately wanting her feet on land. The incessant rocking of the sea was becoming unbearable and once the boat finally docked onto the shore of Mykonos, Kassandra couldn't get her feet on the ground fast enough. It made it all the more unfortunate that she greeted the land the same way she did the first time she arrived here, by being sick. This was not at all how she expected to begin her day.

Kassandra recovers quickly once she realizes she's got a bit of an audience and wipes any remnants of her momentary weakness away. She heads up into the market and sets off to find a local child willing to make some easy drachmae. It doesn't take her long to find a young girl hovering around the outskirts of the market. 

"Hello little one," Kassandra greets as she sinks down so she and the girl are face to face, "would you be able to help me get a message to a friend? I will pay you well for it."

"Ok!" The little girl exclaims, clearly happy with the enticement of getting paid.

"Now, before I give this to you," Kassandra says as she holds the letter and drachmae, "I have to warn you to be extra careful as only my friend should be the one to read it. Her name is Sotiria and you can only hand it to her. Ok? She is in this big house right here."

Kassandra points up towards Kyra's house and the girls eyes widen when she realizes where she's being requested to go. "But that is our leaders house, what if I cannot get in?"

Kassandra looks to the girl with a smirk, a clever girl indeed, but Kassandra knew no harm would come to this girl if she were caught sneaking around or else she would not advise what she's about to.

"I'm sure a clever girl like yourself can figure it out" Kassandra says with a wink and the girl's posture gets more rigid in determination.

"I'll do it!" The girl exclaims and Kassandra hands her over the drachmae and the letter, but before Kassandra relents her hold, she offers an additional incentive for the girl. "If you come back with something from her, I will give you an additional reward."

The girl nods and Kassandra releases her hold and watches as the small girl takes off towards the house. Kassandra walks a bit closer, but she didn't want to get too close and risk being spotted. It would also look suspicious if she was just standing around outside loitering so it was best if she stayed put. She also didn't want to walk away from where she was for when the girl returned.

Kassandra browses the wares around her and engages in some small talk until she spots the girl racing back towards her. Kassandra nods for the girl to follow her and, once the girl catches up, they walk in step with one another.

"I found the lady you wanted" the girl informs Kassandra.

"Wonderful, thank you. Did you run into any issues?" Kassandra asks curiously.

"Nothing I couldn't handle" the girl beams at Kassandra and she could not help but to admire her spirit. "I was met by Kyra, but I told her that I was sorry, but this was not for her."

"Did you now?" Kassandra inquires. "That's mighty bold of you."

"I had a job to do and I was going to do it," the girl responded determined, "besides, Kyra is really nice to me."

That sounded like Kyra alright, always being kind to everyone. Kassandra would not allow herself to get sidetracked though as thinking of Kyra wouldn't do anything for her now. She still needed to find out if Sotiria was able to give her any response. "And the woman, Sotiria, did she give you anything in response?"

"She told me to tell you that she would be free in an hour" the girl replies as they reach the edge of the market.

"Wonderful, thank you, and," Kassandra reaches into her pouch to pull out a few more drachmae and places it into the girls open palm, "as promised for your help."

The girl scampers off back to where Kassandra first met her and Kassandra continues to just roam about to pass the time until she was to find Sotiria. She doesn't find anything of use, but she does buy herself a small snack to replace what Poseidon caused her to lose. 

After what felt like an hour, her eyes began to roam the various faces in the crowd until she spots who she's looking for. Kassandra moves swiftly until she's right behind her.

"Thank you for your letter." Kassandra speaks soft, her mouth just behind Sotiria's ear which causes her to jump.

"Malaka!" Sotiria scolds as she spins around. "Why do you do this to me? It's like you want me to punch you."

Kassandra only laughs at the outburst which earns her a playful shove. "I meant no harm by it."

"Yeah, well... whoa," Sotiria must've noticed the new look as she's looking at Kassandra like she's grown a second head. "You look so different, I almost don't even recognize you."

"Good, that's the point" Kassandra responds as she leads them away from the crowded street. "I wanted to be discreet."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with you hiding from Kyra, would it?" Sotiria inquires as she follows Kassandra's lead.

"I'm not-," Kassandra dismisses frustratedly, "I'm not hiding. I'm here for Alexios and I can't just walk in looking like I usually do or I could risk spooking him."

Sotiria eyes her skeptically, but she doesn't press the issue. "I'm not sure how else I can help you with this as everything I've heard was hearsay."

"Can you describe who you heard discussing him?" Kassandra questions as they reach a secluded section of town. "Any detail at all, just something to help me get on track." Kassandra knew it would be a longshot, but she still needed to ask. 

It was clear though that it was a fruitless request from how Sotiria looked at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't get a look at them from the front as I didn't want to be spotted. I'm afraid I can't be any more use for you. Maybe if you just spoke to Kyra, she would help you."

Kassandra looks at her skeptically, having heard the same thing from Barnabas. "Look, I get what you're trying to do, but Kyra doesn't want to see me and I don't want to waste her time if it is nothing."

Sotiria looks around them before she leans closer to Kassandra, speaking to her in a softer tone. "I don't think that at all, she's not been the same since she's come back. I don't wish to gossip, but I've caught her looking to the seas and just staring out, like she's hoping to see something. My guess is that it's you." 

Kassandra cannot help but scoff at such a notion. "Have you not forgotten there is a war? She's most likely checking the perimeters, ensuring no enemies are near. She does not look for me."

Sotiria shakes her head in disagreement. "No Kassandra, if that were the case she'd look in all directions, not just Paros where she believed you to be. Look, I've got to get back, but I just want to say this. I'm not going to tell you that you have to talk to her, but she will know you were here sooner than later so, before you shut down the idea, I'd give that some thought."

Kassandra doesn't desire to say anything else about the topic so she bids her farewell. Sotiria's words do give her a pause though as it was inevitable that Kyra would find out about this at some point and her choices would have consequences whether she liked it or not. Hearing the same rhetoric from multiple people also means that they're probably not wrong. Kassandra had made enough choices on Kyra's behalf that it was about time that she let her decide that for herself. Sotiria was of no further use so she has nothing to go off from other than the fact that it was two men speaking. She was dead in the water.

The only hope she had to find her brother was if she recruited some help and she was only one person. Kyra would help her, this she knows, because she's aware of how indebted Kyra felt about her help here in Mykonos. If Kassandra needed to, she could ask for aid to "repay" the debt, but she was confident it wouldn't get to that. Kyra might not want to see her, but she also would not want the cult roaming around. It would be mutually beneficial for the both of them if they worked together. Having made her decision, Kassandra takes a deep breath and walks her way back up to Kyra's.

Kassandra can feel her nerves building inside her as she approaches the front door. Usually guests have to be announced, but after showing the men her spear, they recognized who she was and allowed her to pass with ease and with no such announcement. Her mind is still telling her to run and just do this on her own, but her will pushes her feet forward until she's reaches the door. With a light knock, Kassandra finds herself fidgeting as the seconds pass by before she is greeted by none other than Sotiria.

"Kassandra? Well I'll be damned," Sotiria comments in disbelief, "I didn't think you'd do it."

Kassandra's fidgeting eases a bit at the familiar face. "Yeah, well... I realized you made a valid point so are you going to let me in or am I just going to stand here until I grow roots?"

"Still so charming," Sotiria teases, "it's no wonder you have all of the women fawning over you. What a catch."

Kassandra rolls her eyes as Sotiria laughs at her own comment. "Yes, very funny. Now, where is she?"

"You know where, misthios," Sotiria comments as she steps aside to allow Kassandra entrance, "her office as usual for this time of the day."

Kassandra steps into the all too familiar place and it was as if no time had passed at all. It had been quite some time since she was last here, but nothing seemed any different. That's the beauty of smaller areas though, not caught up in change and it just exists to be practical. The only thing that had changed was the bookcase she broke when she and Praxos fought. It's since been repaired and there was no glass anywhere near it, probably on purpose. 

As Kassandra nears her office, she can hear Kyra mumbling to herself about something, she sounded frustrated. It would have allowed Kassandra the out she had been looking for, but she was too close now to back away. Kyra's guards had seen her so there was no pretending that she was no longer there. No, she just needed to get this over with so she could be on her way. She didn't want to stay long as being around Kyra would be difficult. Her heart would want to reach for her, but she was no longer hers to have.

Kassandra finds the door slightly ajar so she takes a deep, calming breath before she knocks.

"Enter" Kassandra hears Kyra speak so she pushes open the door and braces herself for what was to come.

Kyra didn't initially look up so Kassandra just stood there, absorbing every feature of the woman she loved. Not much had changed since they last saw each other, but Kassandra could see a new scar on the edge of Kyra's forehead. It wasn't very large, but to know harm came of her and she didn't do anything about it hurt her deeply. Still, she was as beautiful as ever and Kassandra could feel herself losing all sense of reason and rational thought. She had missed Kyra, but she didn't realize just how much until right now.

"Well?" Kyra asks, still not looking up. "What is it you want?"

Kassandra considers remaining silent, but she doesn't want to try Kyra's patience anymore than it already was so she decides to speak. "I came to request your help."

Kassandra kept it short and sweet and she watched as Kyra took a moment to process her voice, her movements pausing upon recognition. Finally, Kyra lifts up her head and Kassandra braces for the worst. Kassandra can feel Kyra's eyes roaming her with intensity which unnerves Kassandra more than anything.

Kyra gets up out of her seat and walks until she's directly in front of Kassandra. "Am I hallucinating or do you look radically different? How long has this been a thing?"

Kassandra has to hold herself back from reaching out to hold Kyra, to keep her close, but now was not the time for such thoughts so she'll answer the questions. "Your eyes see correctly and it's new as of yesterday."

Kyra seems to be taking all this well so far so she may as well just get directly to the point. "This look is actually why I'm here, on Mykonos, as I got word that my brother was spotted here and I didn't want to spook the cult before I could find him."

"Alexios? Here?" Kyra questions. "Are you sure about this?"

Kassandra knew she needed to be honest about the letter, but she would not out Sotiria as being her source. "I received word from a trustworthy source that they had overheard his name mentioned in the market place as being present here. I'm afraid I have nothing else to go off from as they couldn't get a glimpse of the men speaking without risking exposure. I came to follow up on this lead to see if it was indeed true. I realized though that I had nothing to go from which is why I am here, with you, requesting help."

Kyra takes a few steps back from Kassandra so she could lean back against her desk. "How exactly do you think I could help you?"

Kassandra knows the question wasn't meant to be malicious, but she could hear the detachment in Kyra's voice as she asked it. "You have people everywhere so if there was someone on your shores, someone you know would know about it. I am asking for you to inquire about this on my behalf so that I can find him."

Kassandra watches as Kyra scratches her finger over and over in a single spot on her desk as she considers Kassandra's request. Kassandra wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but she hadn't expected this. She could deal with strong emotions, but the almost indifference was unpleasant. 

"I will see what I can do for you," Kyra responds, her finger stilling on the desk, "but I cannot make any promises."

A sense of relief washes over Kassandra as Kyra had agreed to help her. It was more than she felt she deserved, but she was still grateful that even after everything that happened that Kyra was still the generous soul she remembered. "I know, thank you. I appreciate this."

Kassandra now faces a dilemma as she wants to stay and have this time with Kyra, but she cannot get a good read on what Kyra is feeling. Kyra doesn't appear to view her any differently than a mere commoner though so it was probably best if she left and allowed Kyra to get on with her day. The last thing she wanted to do was make Kyra uncomfortable.

"I can return back in a few days to check for an update," Kassandra offers, allowing Kyra the space Kassandra felt she needed, "if that's ok with you?"

"Where are you staying? I did not receive any word of your ship docking" Kyra inquires.

Kassandra cannot help but notice the implication behind what Kyra had just said. It meant that Kyra had requested an update for her ship if it were to come into view. She didn't know if this was good news or not, but it restored a little optimism that Kyra had maybe missed her too.

"I will just be in the forest. I plan on buying a few items once I leave to set up a small tent for myself" Kassandra answers. The truth was she didn't really plan that far ahead, but it was secluded enough for the most part that it would be the best place for her. The tavern would have too many people so this was a happy medium.

"You do realize it will probably rain, right?" Kyra points out. "The skies are getting dark so it is almost a sure thing that we'll be getting at least some rainfall.

"I didn't, no, thank you for the warning" Kassandra acknowledges the news, but it doesn't change anything. It's not like she had a backup plan for this and she would dry eventually. "I'll pick up something warm as well for myself. Thank you for the heads up."

"Why don't you just stay here?" Kyra offers. "I have plenty of space and it would keep you from catching a cold out in the rain."

"I couldn't impose like that," Kassandra dismisses Kyra's offer, "but it is very generous of you."

Kyra's face shifts into something more soft before she speaks again. "Kassandra, don't be ridiculous. I would not offer if it was an inconvenience so just take the room. Besides, it will make it easier for me to find you if I get news."

"Oh, ok, sure" Kassandra agrees, having no rebuttal for why she shouldn't stay. Of course Kyra would prefer her closer to get in touch with, that made sense. If news came early, she could be on her way faster to finding Alexios and get out of her hair. "I'll be back this evening then."

Kassandra shifts her focus to the exit, but Kyra speaks up before she moves. "I actually think you should stay indoors for as much as possible. Your appearance is different, but I'm not sure it is wise to advertise yourself unnecessarily. Was there something in particular you needed?"

"Well, no, but I just thought-" Kassandra cuts herself off before she revealed her concerns about the two of them and opts to backtrack. "No, there's nothing I need."

Kyra gets up from the desk before she goes to sit back down at her chair. "You can eat whatever we have here and if you need anything, I can have it fetched for you. I'm assuming you remember where to go for your room so maybe you should go get some rest as I know you never sleep."

"That's very generous" Kassandra says, and it was, but she would never take advantage of it. She was not here to use Kyra for that and she wouldn't make herself more of a problem than she needed to be. 

"I will do that and don't worry, I will keep to myself as much as possible so you don't have to see me." Kassandra hadn't meant to say that last part out loud so she scrambles to play it off. "Unless you want to see me that is, but you don't have to if you don't want to, you know, so you're not bothered." Her recovery attempt failed miserably and Kyra looked at her with an amused expression at her flailing.

Kassandra didn't know what compelled her to ramble on with all that, but her mouth just spoke faster than her mind could process. She had no excuse for that disastrous misstep and the embarrassment was becoming too much. Feeling overly exposed by her blunder, Kassandra decides that now was the best time to get out of here before she put her foot further in her mouth even further. 

Before she could flee, Kyra chimes in, keeping her present. "It is good to see you, Kassandra."

Instead of responding as any normal person would, she instead gives this little bow to Kyra before she all but runs out of the office. Why was she suddenly so awkward around Kyra? A bow? Who even does that?! It was as if she forgot how to act normal around Kyra. She hated it. Kassandra didn't falter and she didn't get tongue tied, but Kyra seemed to bring out all these qualities and then some.

Kassandra pauses after she had enough distance between the two of them, realizing that Kyra had said it was good to see her and that Kassandra hadn't said anything in response and just ran out of the room. Not wanting to not respond, Kassandra makes her way back to the doorway. Kassandra knocks unnecessarily as Kyra was still facing her so they could both clearly see each other, but Kassandra was just an entity of awkward so it seemed to be in character. 

"It is very good to see you too, Kyra, I meant to say it before I kind of walked out, but I forgot so I came back for you..." Kassandra had initially meant to end the conversation there, but she realized what she said could have multiple meanings behind it. "I mean, came back to tell you... yeah, so I'm just going to go now."

The only saving grace to that entire interaction was how forgiving Kyra appeared to be as she was trying to repress a laugh at how hopeless she was. Kassandra had missed her smile and even more the sound of her laughter, so the fact that she almost got both right away was wonderful. 

Kassandra takes her leave, for real this time, and heads upstairs to where there is a spare room. She allows herself to flop rather dramatically on the bed, face first, as she let's out a muffled groan against the pillow. All in all, the day could have gone better, but it could've gone so much worse so she'll take it. Every time she thought she had a read on Kyra though, she would contradict herself. At least there was no arguing or yelling yet. Kassandra flips over onto her back and she can feel herself getting tired so she allows herself the indulgence. There was nothing she could so now she may as well make the best of her free time.

Kassandra awakens to a knock on the wall outside of her room. The room is now almost completely dark meaning she slept for a few hours at least. She didn't even remember waking up so she must have been more tired than she thought.

"Kassandra, are you awake?" Sotiria asks as she leans towards the opening.

"Yeah, yeah I am" Kassandra answers while trying to stifle a yawn.

"Kyra has requested your presence for dinner if you were feeling up to it. Should I tell her you'll be down soon or are you wishing to go back to bed?" Sotiria questions.

Dinner? Kyra wants dinner with her? This was a surprise, but one that Kassandra would not miss no matter how tired she still felt. Recognizing that she never gave Sotiria an answer, Kassandra speaks up. "No, dinner sounds perfect. I'll be down in just a moment."

Kassandra gets up out of bed and decides to keep her appearance as is. She could probably put her braid back in if she was staying here, but she just wanted to get down to Kyra as soon as possible. She brushes her hands down her peplos to smooth out any lingering wrinkles before she makes her way down.

Kassandra walks down the stairs towards the dining area when Sotiria steps in front of her.

"You're not eating in here." Sotiria informs her. "Kyra still has some work to do so she's in her office. I already made you a plate so you can grab it right outside the door. I also took the liberty of providing her favorite wine that you can give to her as a gift. Her happiness is our happiness and I know you make her happy and we all want her back so don't mention this conversation."

"If I didn't know any better," Kassandra comments as she takes in all that Sotiria had told her, "I'd say you're trying to get me to woo her back into good graces."

"Well then, we can be glad you know better now can't we?" Sotiria states before she turns and heads back into the kitchen, leaving Kassandra standing by the stairs.

Kassandra takes the hint and grabs not only her food, but also the wine and the two glasses that Sotiria had left her. Kassandra was amazed at how many other people had such a vested interest in their relationship, but she could use the help as she learned her lesson from before. Kassandra doesn't bother to knock this time, but instead decides just introduces herself.

"Sotiria had mentioned that you wanted to see me. Is now a good time or should I go?" Kassandra offers Kyra an out as if she was busy, she probably didn't want to be disturbed.

"Please, come in and have a seat, Kyra motions to the seat across from her, "I won't be much longer."

Kassandra takes the seat and pours out two glasses of wine, but she notices that Kyra doesn't have anything for food. Kyra did always have a bad habit of forgetting to eat so Kassandra takes her plate and sets it down between them. 

"Why don't we share this as I'm not that hungry and I'd hate for this to go to waste." It was a small lie as Kassandra was pretty hungry, but she wouldn't tell Kyra that or she wouldn't take any of the food. "I've also got you some wine, I'm told it's your favorite."

Kyra raises her eyebrow to this statement and decides to test this. She reaches for her glass and takes a sip and Kassandra watches as her mouth curves into a smile.

"You've been told correct, how did you know this? I don't think I've ever shared this with you before." Kyra inquires at Kassandra's knowledge of this fact.

"I have my sources" Kassandra shrugs off the question.

"Seems like you have many as of late" Kyra comments as she turns her attention back to her work.

Kassandra is feeling good about this and the awkwardness of earlier seems to be a thing of the past. She can tell Kyra is getting stressed out by whatever it is she's reading as her forehead scrunches up. Kassandra can't do much to help, but there maybe something she can offer to whatever problem Kyra has. "So what of what you're doing could I help you with?"

Kyra glances up to most likely see if she's joking or not, but Kassandra is very serious about this. "There has to be something I can do to. Just name it."

Kyra leans back and looks over her papers and then back up to Kassandra. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this, I will manage to figure it out."

Kassandra scoots a bit closer to Kyra, putting her hand on the desk. "I am offering, so please, how can I help you?"

"Well...," Kyra trails off as she digs for a particular document, "I could use an extra pair of hands to help hunt. The area we stored our food had an unexpected fire so now we don't have enough for the island. I couldn't ask this of you though as you need to remain discreet so you can find Alexios."

Kassandra found herself in a dilemma. Kyra did bring up a very good point about the risk of being revealed if she went out, but at the same time, she couldn't leave Kyra and her people without food. She needed to make a call and she found she already knew the answer.

"I would love to help hunt" Kassandra confirms. "I will start early tomorrow morning. Was there anything else that could use an extra hand?"

Kyra looked at Kassandra in disbelief, like she did not expect her to agree to it as it meant she could lose her brother's trail once more. Kassandra knew she had been quite adamant about her mission to find him, but she would not do it at the expense of Kyra and her people. There would have been a time where she wouldn't have given it a second thought and she would've chosen Alexios, but Kyra had changed her when she walked away and she never wanted to be in that sort of position again. 

"That is the only major issue I have as the rest will be solved once everyone gets some food in their stomachs. People are weak from hunger and cannot work properly so their livelihood is suffering which is what most of these are." Kyra makes it a point to show Kassandra the list of complaints. "These are just the ones I've bothered to write down."

This would be why Kyra didn't have any food as she would never consume more than what her people could. She could have used her position as leverage to hoard what was left, but that's not the kind of woman Kyra is. She'd rather starve herself than have anyone else suffer. Kassandra was now more determined than ever to put some food on the table. It also gave Kassandra an idea.

"Do you have something I could use to write? I need to send a message to Barnabas." Kassandra requests. 

Kyra reaches next to her to grab the materials, handing them back to Kassandra who accepts them gleefully. "Thank you, this will only take a moment."

Kassandra knows the men of the Adrestia are just lounging around while she takes this trip so they would be perfect for additional sets of hands. Kassandra keeps the letter brief, but she requests that all available and skilled men fish for whatever they can find and to send it to Mykonos. Fish was something that could be preserved and stored for longer periods of time so they wouldn't have to worry about it spoiling.

Having written all she needs to, Kassandra excuses herself from Kyra's office so that she could go stand outside and call for Ikaros. He doesn't ever take long to reach her and he was even quiet on his approach. He tends to make some noises which usually don't matter, but she's grateful he understands discrepancy.

"There's my handsome boy. I've missed you so much." Kassandra coos as she scratches below his chin. "I have a job for you that's very important. Deliver this to Barnabas as soon as possible and no bothering the rodents here, do you hear me?"

Kassandra feeds him a treat before he takes off towards Paros, oblivious to the fact that she had an audience. It was darker outside, dimly lit by the torches surrounding them around the perimeter so she never saw Kyra approaching.

"I've never seen you so gentle before" Kyra comments, surprising Kassandra who thought she was alone.

"I didn't realize I had company or I'd have let you say hello" Kassandra says, causing Kyra to chuckle.

"No, you wouldn't have, as you know he secretly loves me more. Ikaros and I have bonded. We're practically best friends." Kyra teases she walks closer to Kassandra.

"It's not hard to do, it's impossible to not love you." Kassandra answers in earnest, oblivious to what she had just inadvertently implied.

"Do you?" Kyra asks, her voice hinging almost in a desperation.

"Do I what?" Kassandra questions back, still not realizing what they were talking about.

Kassandra watches Kyra inch closer and closer, until she is standing just within arms reach. The low flame illuminating her features and Kassandra can see a fire behind Kyra's eyes that had been missing for so long. A look that sent a jolt through her body, a look of want, lust, and passion and it was directed right at her.

"Do you love me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, our tour guide is Greek and she and the driver (who doesn't speak English) will speak Greek. I was sitting at the very front of the bus, directly behind her, and I was just looking outside when she was speaking and I heard "malaka" said twice. I got so excited that I knew what she had just said so I told her later on that I had understood her and she looked mortified lol. I then told her about Odyssey and how that was even the reason I went on this trip. 
> 
> Yesterday as we were saying goodbye, she gives me a hug and pulls me in to tell me that she told the driver that I understood it and that she was going to be more careful with what she said from now on lol. I told her it was honestly a highlight of the trip, but she felt so bad that I had caught her shit talking something.
> 
> I hadn't heard that word at all that entire trip and the fact that she said it when I was in the only spot to hear it was fate.


	27. Tidal Wave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday all!
> 
> First order of business is telling you that I had an AMAZING time in Greece and I felt in love with the place. I would encourage you all to visit if possible because it is just so historic and marvelous. I felt so inspired while I was there.
> 
> I know I left you on just a teensy bit of a cliffhanger last time, but I promise that's not the case here. Ready yourself for some blubberingly cute Kassandra moments and deep reflections on Kyra's end. I wrote this all yesterday too (as I had been majorly slacking since my return) and I have to say, I think you are all really gonna love it!
> 
> As always, I appreciate every kudos and comment I get and it only makes me want to give you more and more for every bit of feedback I receive. 🧡
> 
> Karmin - Tidal Wave  
> https://youtu.be/KtmmBkZxu6U

The skies were a dark gray and the sun didn't shine as warm as it once did. This had become the new normal for Kyra and she had resigned herself to the fact that this was how life was. Leaving Kassandra all those months ago was the hardest thing she's ever had to do and she wrestles with herself to understand that she did the right thing. They were not as healthy as they should have been as a couple and this time apart would be for the best. At least, that what she keeps telling herself every time the thoughts of Kassandra linger in her mind, which seemed to be always.

Nary a day went by when Kassandra wasn't on her mind in some form. Some days it was the good times, others the bad. She had taken to overlooking the sea when it got too bad, her eyes drifting towards Paros where she imagined Kassandra to be. She had refused to send any of her people out to see for sure, she did not want to know. It gave her a small semblance of peace to think of her so near and she didn't want to crash the façade to find out she was nowhere to be seen. The only information she passed on was to be notified if they saw her ship, nothing more and nothing less. She's not even sure she wanted to know that as who's to say Kassandra would stop here and see her. It would kill her to know she was so close, but out of reach.

Kyra knew she shouldn't mope about, but everything had gone to shit since she'd returned and all there seemed to be was bad news. There was a discontent with her people and she couldn't seem to put the fires out quick enough, sometimes literally. There appeared to be an arsonist in their midst and, at first, they were small and could be passed off as accidents. Now though, now they were becoming bold and going after key buildings and storage facilities. They even went so far as to burn the island's food storage, leaving her and her people without most of their food. Kyra had no idea who was perpetrating such heinous crimes, but she needed to find an answer fast before she became a target of the people's wrath.

The downside to having such power was that you became the figure head for any and all problems. If something wasn't right, it was your fault, plain and simple. It didn't matter how farfetched the issue, it was on you to fix anything and everything. It was taxing on her, keeping her up most nights in a worry. It wasn't healthy in the slightest and it makes her think if this is something she truly wanted to do. Being away with Kassandra, living such a life, made her reconsider everything she thought she wanted. If you'd have asked her two years ago, she would tell you that leading Mykonos was what her purpose was, but after Kassandra came in her life more seriously, she's only sure that she's unsure.

Being free like she was with Kassandra was fulfilling in ways she never imagined. Spending her life just meandering the islands, not doing anything she didn't want to. It was an enticing sort of life and doing it with Kassandra? Well, that became the dream. They had worked so well together that there was nothing they couldn't face as long as they had each other's backs. It was rocky to start with, as they figured one another out, but they soon came up with a language all their own. 

There was always still the matter that Kassandra had lied to her about Thaletas and that would always leave her with a lingering doubt to Kassandra's true words and intentions. She had put such blind faith and trust in Kassandra, that the fall hurt worse than it ever should have. She was foolish to give her all like that, but when Kyra gave, she gave her everything and when she loved, she loved hard. It was like plummeting into icy water. Her first reaction was shock that this could've even happened, followed by the numbness of the impact. Kassandra could've done no wrong in her eyes with how she was before, but now she knows better. It didn't make it hurt any less, but it would help steel her heart in the future.

With walking away, she knew she took the risk of never seeing Kassandra again. Even after all that happened with them, she knew Kassandra was it for her. Her heart had chosen and it would never forget, Kassandra was her person in life and she would always cherish the small time she was able to love her without conditions. Before everything became a mess and combusted before her eyes, she would always have the moments they shared. They were not fake and Kyra knew that Kassandra had cared for her, even if it wasn't love. You couldn't fake the emotions they shared and Kyra trusted that she could've known the difference. They were two very passionate and driven women that they just came to heads sooner than expected.

Kyra had always known deep down that they wouldn't make it to begin with. Something was always bound to go wrong and she proved herself right. Everything about how they started was wrong and it just seemed they never could find the right footing. Every time Kyra went left, Kassandra went right. They jumped before they even learned to walk and they both paid the cost. Still, when they found those rare moments in sync, it was pure magic. Kyra felt like she was untouchable and on top of the world, that she could conquer anything she wanted to. It was an addictive feeling when she got it, but it never seemed to last and she found herself withdrawing from the loss.

Kassandra had changed every facet of her world and she couldn't pretend like everything was the same anymore. She couldn't pretend she enjoyed these petty squabbles and the fact that she could never seem to do anything right. The endless busy work to appease those in power in places she's never even been to. Playing nice for the sake of an alliance only to get the short end of the stick again and again. The deeper she got into this role, the more she began to despise it. She loved her people, that was not in question, but she was a rebel for fucks sake, she didn't play nice, she played dirty.

Kyra had spent many mornings staring at her reflection and seeing the hollowness of her own self. She couldn't find that rebellious spirit anymore, it was as if it curled up in the corner of a cage to die. She was not the same person she used to be and she's not sure if that's such a good thing anymore. She lived to have a cause, to serve a greater purpose, so sitting behind a desk behind all the bureaucracy was counterproductive. There was no thrill in her life anymore and she would have never known it was missing if not for Kassandra taking her on an adventure. 

Everything in her life always came back to Kassandra.

Having been zoned out for the better part of an hour now, Kyra takes one last look to the horizon for a chance to see the familiar sails she's grown to love. As per usual, she's met with nothing but disappointment as the waters were all but deserted sans for a few smaller boats coming ashore. The rumble of her stomach dragged her back to the present as the ever growing hunger she faced was getting progressively worse on a daily basis.

The uproar caused when Kyra announced the destruction of their food supply was almost enough to break what little strength she had left. She refused to eat more than once a day so there would be more food for everyone else. Everyone was in a panic and began turning on one another and she didn't need to add fuel to the fire. People were becoming weaker and some to the point of getting sick. She was going to have a hunger epidemic on her hands if she didn't do something. She had already reached out to Sparta for aid, but they had said it would take time and resources they didn't have and that they would help when they could. What good was an alliance if one side would starve to death? Her own hunters and fishermen were trying their best, but there was only so much they could do. Kyra needed help, but she didn't have any options.

Feeling the wind pickup, a chill went down Kyra's spine. It was time to head inside and tackle the day as best she could as drifting off into space was not helpful. Entering back into the house, Kyra heads downstairs when she hears a knock on the door. Realizing she was the closest one, Kyra opens it, but she doesn't see anyone until she looks down and spots a young girl.

"Good day, Kyra." The girl greets her as she stands holding a letter. "I have a message for Sotiria that is for her eyes only, sorry."

Kyra arches a brow at the girls gusto, but she has to respect it. She was not one to put undue pressure on anyone, yet alone a child.

"Come on in, she should be right in the kitchen." Kyra points to show the girl the direction before the girl rushes past her and back before she's even had time to blink.

Kyra, curious to what all that was about, made her way to the kitchen to see Sotiria with her nose buried in the letter.

"Everything alright?" Kyra questions at seeing Sotiria wrapped up in whatever she was reading.

"Kyra!" Sotiria exclaims, crumpling the letter up into a ball. "Never better, why do you ask?"

Kyra's brow creases as she takes in Sotiria's odd behavior. "It just seemed urgent from what the girl had said so I wanted to see if it was bad news. I know I have a lot on my plate right now, but you're my friend and I care about you."

Sotiria didn't meet her gaze right away so Kyra had been at least warm with her assumption that something wasn't right, but she wouldn't push. She would not force her to confide in her if she didn't want to. She wasn't that kind of person nor did she ever wish to be.

"Would it be possible for me to step away for a little bit?" Sotiria requests. "I promise it won't be long, but there's something I really need to do."

"Uh, sure... but are you sure you're alright?" Kyra presses, sensing something is very off. She watches as Sotiria walks towards the fire and tosses the letter in it, a bit dramatic if nothing was wrong.

"Just peachy!" Sotiria says a bit too peppy. "I'll be back before you know it." With that, Sotiria rushes out if the house, leaving Kyra confused at what just transpired. Sotiria had been very odd this whole conversation so she'd have to wait and see what was going on. Until then, she had work that needed to be done.

The complaints just continued and Kyra could feel a tension headache taking over her. What she wouldn't give for a good massage right now. Her back hurt from slouching over her desk for hours on end and her eyes were so very tired. She and sleep had a rocky relationship at best and she preferred to be productive instead of staring at the wall or the ceiling. It was only mid day, but Kyra's desire to nap was strong. Maybe she would allow herself this small indulgence after she finishes this small stack, that is, until she reads what was next on her list.

"Ungrateful bastards, thinking they can just order me around? That's not how this works." Kyra mutters to herself as a group of "concerned citizens" were stirring up trouble and demanding her to parlay with the Athenians and switch sides.

A knock on her door pauses her rambling as the last thing she needed was the wrong person to overhear her. 

"Enter." Kyra responds to the intrusion, but nothing further was said from who ever interrupted her. 

"Well? What is it you want?" She did not have the time to play these games so either the person would speak or she'd be quick to show them the door.

"I came to request your help." The voice was so eerily familiar, but she couldn't be right. That voice was the voice that haunted her at night and she had to be imagining it. Perhaps she did need that nap after all.

Deciding to look up, Kyra's breath hitched. Before her stood Kassandra, but a very, very different Kassandra than she had expected. Her hair was no longer in a braid and her outfit was no longer armor. If she'd have passed her by on the streets, she's not sure if she would have recognized her. Kassandra now had her hair in a very low ponytail and her peplos was white and modest, a contrast to her usual apparel. She must be going mad.

Kyra gets up out of her seat and walks until she's directly in front of this figure that looks just like Kassandra. She's not sure what to do so she let's her mouth just say the first thing that came to mind. "Am I hallucinating or do you look radically different? How long has this been a thing?"

"Your eyes see correctly and it's new as of yesterday." Kassandra answers her and Kyra has to restrain herself from rushing into her arms.

Kyra had desperately missed Kassandra and having her here, in front of her, was more than she could've imagined. It had only been about four months, but it had felt like an eternity apart.

Kassandra shifts her footing a bit before she continues to speak, breaking Kyra out of her trance. "This look is actually why I'm here, on Mykonos, as I got word that my brother was spotted here and I didn't want to spook the cult before I could find him."

"Alexios? Here?" Kyra questions, having heard no such things about him before right now. "Are you sure about this?"

"I received word from a trustworthy source that they had overheard his name mentioned in the market place as being present here. I'm afraid I have nothing else to go off from as they couldn't get a glimpse of the men speaking without risking exposure. I came to follow up on this lead to see if it was indeed true. I realized though that I had nothing to go from which is why I am here, with you, requesting help." Kyra had searched Kassandra's eyes as she spoke and she could see a vulnerability that she's not seen before. Whatever she was told must have rattled her enough to show up here after all they've been through. Not to mention the fact that Kassandra was asking her (of all people) for help.

Kyra takes a few steps back to regroup, leaning back against her desk for support. The only thing crossing her mind is how Kassandra, once again, was going to keep her in the dark. She could tell from Kassandra's tone that this was a last resort so Kyra knew the only reason she showed her face was because she had no choice.

Taking a less than hospitable tone, Kyra inquires about what Kassandra had planned. "How exactly do you think I could help you?"

Kassandra keeps her face neutral as she responds, a mask she wears well. "You have people everywhere so if there was someone on your shores, someone you know would know about it. I am asking for you to inquire about this on my behalf so that I can find him." 

Resources, of course that's what she needs. Kassandra was not stopping by for a social visit, but purely of business. It could also possibly explain the rash of incidents her lands have been suffering as if the cult was here, problems would follow. She needed to take this lead as it would help both of them if Kassandra was right. "I will see what I can do for you, but I cannot make any promises."

Kyra notices a small smile gracing Kassandra's face before she shifts back into the unreadable woman she presents to the world. "I know, thank you. I appreciate this."

A pause lulls the conversation and Kyra can feel an awkwardness rising between them before Kassandra speaks. "I can return back in a few days to check for an update, if that's ok with you?"

It sounded like she was asking for permission. Since when did Kassandra ask for permission to do anything? A first for everything she supposed, but it raised another question. "Where are you staying? I did not receive any word of your ship docking."

Kyra had left strict orders to notify her of the Adrestia, but none of her men mentioned anything. Chances are that Kassandra used a different, more discreet mode of transportation to not raise attention if her change of appearance was of any influence.

"I will just be in the forest. I plan on buying a few items once I leave to set up a small tent for myself." Kassandra answers her, but Kyra did not like the sound of that. This was not the season to be sleeping in the woods and Kassandra would know this.

"You do realize it will probably rain, right?" Kyra points out as she saw the sky before she came inside. "The skies are getting dark so it is almost a sure thing that we'll be getting at least some rainfall."

"I didn't, no. Thank you for the warning. I'll pick up something warm as well for myself. Thank you for the heads up." Kassandra thanks her and Kyra doesn't know how to take this almost formality that's passed between them. It almost looks like Kassandra is trying to flee her presence. Was it truly that uncomfortable for Kassandra to be around her? Kyra would put that theory to the test.

"Why don't you just stay here?" Kyra offers. "I have plenty of space and it would keep you from catching a cold out in the rain."

"I couldn't impose like that," Kassandra dismisses her offer, "but it is very generous of you."

Kassandra didn't seem to be budging on this so Kyra opted for a different approach, one appealing to Kassandra's sense of reason. "Kassandra, don't be ridiculous. I would not offer if it was an inconvenience so just take the room. Besides, it will make it easier for me to find you if I get news."

"Oh, ok, sure. I'll be back this evening then." Kassandra looks almost disappointed to Kyra, but she wasn't too sure. 

Kyra wasn't sure what compelled her to speak, but she was borderline desperate to keep Kassandra near. She was selfish to want this, but Kassandra had always been a safety for her and just knowing they were in the same place was enough to relax her. "I actually think you should stay indoors for as much as possible. Your appearance is different, but I'm not sure it is wise to advertise yourself unnecessarily. Was there something in particular you needed?"

"Well, no, but I just thought-" Kassandra pauses, clearly scrapping whatever she was about to say. "No, there's nothing I need."

Kyra gets up from the desk and returns back to her chair. As much as she didn't want this to end, she was incredibly busy and Kassandra seemed a bit pale in her complexion. She was probably very tired and most likely hungry. Kyra could go without eating today if it meant Kassandra was fed. "You can eat whatever we have here and if you need anything, I can have it fetched for you. I'm assuming you remember where to go for your room so maybe you should go get some rest as I know you never sleep."

Kassandra offers her another small smile in a "blink and you've missed it" briefness. "That's very generous. I will do that and don't worry, I will keep to myself as much as possible so you don't have to see me. Unless you want to see me that is, but you don't have to if you don't want to, you know, so you're not bothered."

Kyra never thought she'd see the day where Kassandra would trip over her own silver tongue. She had seen Kassandra talk her way out of things the average person couldn't, but here, now, it was like all that smoothness dissipated. It was charming in its own way as Kyra loved watching Kassandra get flustered. She could even see the faint blush rising into Kassandra's cheeks. Seeing her now, like this, just made Kyra realize how much she's truly missed her.

"It is good to see you, Kassandra." Kyra allows herself to share, hoping it didn't cross a line, but she needed to say how she felt. She was skeptical that she'd ever get this opportunity again and Kassandra looked ready to run after her blunder so Kyra needed to be sure the message got across. 

Kassandra didn't give her a reply, but she did give her this awkward bow before all but bolting from the room. Kyra knew Kassandra wouldn't flee for good because of Alexios, but she would probably not allow Kyra to see her again anytime soon. Kassandra had this proud nature about her and whenever she was anything less than perfect, she tucked tail and hid away... or so Kyra thought until she watched Kassandra reappear to knock on the door again.

"It is very good to see you too, Kyra, I meant to say it before I kind of walked out, but I forgot so I came back for you... I mean, came back to tell you... yeah, so I'm just going to go now." Kassandra sheepishly rambled before she, again, left in quite the hurry. This time though, Kyra didn't mind it at all because Kassandra had all but said the words "I missed you." Kyra had to use a hand to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing at how cute Kassandra was and, now that she was alone, she allowed herself that small release.

It had been far too long since anything brought a smile to her face, yet alone a laugh, and here Kassandra was hitting both of them in only a few minutes. Her heart no longer ached in the way it had been and Kyra knows she shouldn't be hopeful for anything to happen between them, but Kassandra sparked a life into her that she'd forgotten. She felt renewed, a second wind so to speak, and her headache seemed to be nonexistent now. Using the newfound energy, Kyra dives back into her work.

She had been continuous and diligent, pausing for nothing but the restroom when necessary, when she finally takes note of just how dark it had gotten. She was squinting so hard to try to see that she's surely given herself wrinkles from the strain. Lighting a candle, Kyra takes the opportunity to stretch out and work some of the cramps out her legs and back.

She needed to take a break after finishing this last order request and Kassandra was just the person to help her forget the working world. She wanted to have her close, even if it was for the obligatory small talk.

"Sotiria? Come here for a moment please." Kyra orders from her office and she can hear the footsteps rushing toward the door until she sees Sotiria standing before her. "Can you get some food ready for Kassandra and tell her that I'd like to see her if she's feeling up to it?" 

"Of course, Kyra, right away." Sotiria say before she scurries away once more.

It wasn't long before Kyra heard Kassandra's unmistakable footsteps approaching and she looked up to see Kassandra with very full hands. She not only had a plate of food, but two glasses and wine in the other.

"Sotiria had mentioned that you wanted to see me. Is now a good time or should I go?" Kassandra motions over her shoulder to indicate she would leave, but Kyra wanted anything but.

"Please, come in and have a seat, Kyra motions to the seat across from her, "I won't be much longer."

Kassandra takes the seat and pours out two glasses of wine while Kyra finished up her work to finish for the night. It was rare she allowed herself to take some time for self care so she was going to indulge after this was completed. 

Needing another break, Kyra looks up to the plate of food set between them and looks to Kassandra in question. 

Kassandra only nudges the plate closer to her. "Why don't we share this as I'm not that hungry and I'd hate for this to go to waste. I've also got you some wine, I'm told it's your favorite."

Kyra raises her eyebrow to this statement and decides to test this. She reaches for her glass and takes a sip and she can tell Kassandra is watching her with a fervent interest. Once the wine hits her tongue, she smiles. "You've been told correct, how did you know this? I don't think I've ever shared this with you before." 

"I have my sources." Kassandra gives a non answer, keeping tight lipped.

"Seems like you have many as of late." Kyra comments as she turns to finish the last couple of details. Her stack of work was still pretty high, but she'd gotten a lot accomplished and that counted for something. Unfortunately, she saved the worst for last and she just did not have the energy for it.

"So what of what you're doing could I help you with?" Kyra hears Kassandra offer. Lifting her head to get a read on Kassandra, she can see that she seems to be serious with her request.

"There has to be something I can do to help. Just name it." Kassandra nobly offers and Kyra knows she doesn't offer to help if she doesn't mean it, but she would double check just to be sure.

Kyra leans back and looks over her papers and then back up to Kassandra. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this, I will manage to figure it out."

Kassandra scoots a bit closer to her, putting her hand on the desk. "I am offering, so please, how can I help you?"

"Well...," Kyra trails off as she digs for a particular document, "I could use an extra pair of hands to help hunt. The area we stored our food had an unexpected fire so now we don't have enough for the island. I couldn't ask this of you though as you need to remain discreet so you can find Alexios."

Kyra knew she could absolutely use Kassandra's help, but she wouldn't burden her with her own problems. Kassandra would never jeopardize finding her brother for her so it was probably a polite gesture at best as that's what one is supposed to do. Which is why when Kassandra answered her, she was taken completely by surprise.

"I would love to help hunt" Kassandra confirms. "I will start early tomorrow morning. Was there anything else that could use an extra hand?"

Kyra could only look in disbelief, still questioning if she heard her correctly. Kassandra seemed to be willing to risk finding her brother to help Kyra out. She didn't have anything to gain from helping her, but she was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "That is the only major issue I have as the rest will be solved once everyone gets some food in their stomachs. People are weak from hunger and cannot work properly so their livelihood is suffering which is what most of these are." Kyra shows Kassandra the list of complaints. "These are just the ones I've bothered to write down."

Kyra watches Kassandra, seemingly lost within her thoughts until Kassandra's eyes go wide and she looks at Kyra. "Do you have something I could use to write? I need to send a message to Barnabas."

Kyra doesn't know where this all came from, but who was she to probe. She reaches next to her to grab the materials, handing them to her. 

Kassandra accepts them gleefully. "Thank you, this will only take a moment."

Kassandra writes with speed and Kyra doesn't peek (although she wants to) so that she can have some semblance of privacy. Once Kassandra finishes, she scoots back and excuses herself for a moment as she needed to send this urgently.

Kassandra had never said Kyra couldn't tag along as it had been a while since she'd seen Ikaros and she wanted to give her love. She adored that bird and she could see the appeal as having him as a companion, especially given his connection to Kassandra. It also didn't hurt that he was self sufficient and did your bidding for the payment of affection and the occasional treat. Kyra maintains her distance as she stays near the door so that she can observe.

"There's my handsome boy. I've missed you so much." She hears Kassandra coo as she scratches below his chin. "I have a job for you that's very important. Deliver this to Barnabas as soon as possible and no bothering the rodents here, do you hear me?"

Kassandra feeds him a treat before he takes off and Kyra had missed her opportunity with Ikaros, but it wasn't lost on her that it was just the two of them now. Something comes over her and maybe it was the darkness making her bold, but Kyra didn't want the distance between them anymore.

"I've never seen you so gentle before." Kyra comments, startling Kassandra who must've thought she was alone.

"I didn't realize I had company or I'd have let you say hello" Kassandra says, causing Kyra to chuckle.

"No, you wouldn't have, as you know he secretly loves me more. Ikaros and I have bonded. We're practically best friends." Kyra teases she walks closer to Kassandra. Each step she takes is precise and with a purpose. That purpose being to eliminate all space between them.

"It's not hard to do, it's impossible to not love you." Kassandra answers and Kyra stops dead in her tracks. 

Kassandra had opened herself up to a dangerous question and the decision Kyra had to make was whether or not she was going to ask it. For so long, Kyra had wanted to know the answer to this question, but she's never had the guts to ask. 

Until now.

"Do you?" She inquires, trying to mask the desperation she's feeling.

"Do I what?" Kassandra asks rather dumbfounded, clearly not picking up on what Kyra had implied.

Kyra inches closer and closer until she's standing within arms reach of Kassandra. All she can see is the light flickering across Kassandra's face, illuminating sections while the rest remain shrouded in the darkness. This was the moment of truth. Now was Kyra's chance to ask the question that has been burning her since she's said it to Kassandra all that time ago. It was fight or flight.

"Do you love me?”

The world stops spinning and Kyra could no longer breathe. She had felt so sure this was the right moment, but being unable to read Kassandra's reaction, she began to panic. It was far too late to take it back and there is no way she could downplay this as a joke or a misunderstanding so she was frantically thinking of what she could do to keep the answer from slipping past Kassandra's lips. What was she even thinking? This was the first time they had seen each other in months and she really thought it would be a good idea to spring this on the most emotionally void person in the world? Kassandra only did anger, it's what she's always said, so Kyra should've just kept her damn mouth shut.

"Don't answer that." Kyra blurts out, trying to recover what dignity she can. "Please, just don't, forget I even asked."

"Kyra..." Kassandra begins to speak, but Kyra takes several steps away from her.

"I said forget it, Kassandra!" Kyra says more aggressively as she continues to back away. Why did she have to do this to herself? The regret was strong and she wanted the world to swallow her whole than have to deal with the fallout.

Kassandra didn't love her and she wasn't sure why she was ever stupid enough to believe that she did. Kassandra could have any woman she wanted in this world, why would she settle for her? Doubt seeped its way into every possible place inside Kyra and her feet couldn't move fast enough. She flees, leaving Kassandra behind, as she races up to her room and quickly closes and locks the door. Keeping her back to the door, she slides down until she's sitting at the base, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head resting upon them.

Kyra can hear Kassandra making her way up the steps and she closes her eyes in the hope that Kassandra would just leave her be. She already felt like a fool, she didn't need to hurt with the rejection too. She listens as the rushed steps slow until they're right outside the door. Kyra holds her breath to not give away that she's so close and she waits for the knock... but it never comes. Instead, she hears Kassandra step back and retreat back to her room. Kyra wasn't sure what was worse, Kassandra trying and not letting this go or her not even making the attempt. She cannot keep her tears from spilling as she let's herself have the release she's been avoiding.

Kyra had kept everything so pent up that it was all spilling out at once. Kassandra, the food issue, the threat of an uprising against her... it all was too much. Her life had become such a mess and she couldn't do anything to stop it. It was like she was only a witness to her own life, just biding her time until the pin finally dropped. She had nobody to turn to and the one person she wanted to talk to was Kassandra who she couldn't because she was part of the problem. Even after everything Kassandra did, Kyra still trusted her and desperately wished to confide in her as her friend.

That was probably the worst part out of all of this was that she lost Kassandra not only as a lover, but as her closest friend. She always could count on Kassandra being there for her and she never made her feel like she was a burden. They used to sit under the stars and Kassandra would just listen to her ramble about anything and everything. Kyra would share her struggles and fears and Kassandra would listen and try to offer feedback if she could. How Kyra longed for the simpler days before everything went wrong. She just needed to face the fact that her old life was dead in every way and she needed to move on as the world would keep turning with or without her.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention again as none of her people should still be here and the guards should all be outside. Kassandra must be up and about doing god knows what. She can hear Kassandra heading downstairs, the sound of breaking glass followed by cursing, and then Kassandra's footsteps running back up the stairs to her door.

"Uh, Kyra," Kassandra speaks, her voice sounding nervous, "listen, so you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to, but I went and got you the wine you like. I also may have accidentally shattered one of the glasses, but I swear I will pay for it, honest. It was an accident and my hand slipped and you probably don't care about the details now that I'm thinking about it."

Kassandra rambles on like she did earlier, seemingly unable to stop herself. "It jus-, it just looks like you've been having a tough time and I wanted to cheer you up so I'm just going to sit on the other side of the door so you're not alone."

If Kyra wasn't already crying, she would have started. She was moved by how Kassandra wanted to cheer her up, even after the fiasco that happened not even an hour prior. She hadn't expected this at all from Kassandra as she'd never given an inclination that she cared like this before. It was sweet and considerate, almost the complete opposite of the Kassandra she had walked away from. She wouldn't allow herself to believe Kassandra had changed overnight, but it did give her an inkling of hope that maybe she was on the right path. Now Kyra needed to decide if she wanted to let her in or not.

As if she were reading her thoughts, Kassandra addresses what's on her mind. "You don't have to open the door for me," Kassandra tries again to strike up a small conversation, "but if you want the wine, just crack it a little. If you want me to go away and stop bugging you, just say the word and I'll leave you alone. I don't want to make this worse for you."

This was not like the Kassandra she had known at all, but she could definitely use the wine and Kassandra seemed to respect the fact that she didn't want to discuss what happened about an hour ago. She could be wrong, but at this point, she had nothing else left to lose. 

Kyra lifts herself from off the ground and unlocks the door. "You can come in if you want. Don't feel obligated just because I'm having a pity party."

Kassandra hops to her feet and enters into Kyra's room and takes a seat next to her on the bed.

"For you." Kassandra offers her a glass which she happily accepts and downs it all in only three gulps.

"Wow," Kassandra looks her direction slightly stunned by her chugging wine like it's beer, "ok, let me get you some more. Actually, why don't I just have a glass and you can have the whole rest of the pitcher."

"Do you really think that's wise of me to do?" Kyra asks as she greedily takes the pitcher anyway.

"Not exactly," Kassandra shrugs, relenting her grip, "but hey, what is life without bad decisions. You can feel better now at the cost of tomorrow, the choice is up to you."

Kyra squints her eyes as she takes a huge gulp of the wine. "When did you get so philosophical? Have you been speaking to Sokrates?"

Kassandra laughs and Kyra remembers how much she's missed the sound. It was one of her favorite sounds she's ever heard. "Gods no, that man would talk me in circles until I dropped. Trust me, he's tried to wrangle me in a debate of the mind and I'd rather watch the grass grow."

Kyra feels a bit better, probably because of the sheer quantity of wine she's consumed in such a small period of time. She can't help but to laugh at Kassandra's comment, almost forgetting that she was even sad in the first place.

"Tell me then "oh wise one," where are these thoughts coming from?" Kyra inquires, curious to when Kassandra picked up such an open mind. "It's not like you to be encouraging such bad behavior."

"Bad behavior? Me? Blasphemous!" Kassandra dramatic exclaims as she raises her glass. "If drinking too much on occasion is bad behavior, I don't think I've ever been the upstanding citizen you take me for."

Kyra can only grin at Kassandra's playful behavior and it was time to let loose a little bit more as tomorrow would suck, but the rest of the night didn't have to. "I have never, ever, in my life, taken you for an upstanding citizen. You are literally the face of mischief."

Kassandra gasps, her hand clutching her chest. "You take that back! I am not mischievous, I'm just adventurous. There's a total difference."

"Ok fine," Kyra relents, "you're not mischievous, but you're walking on thin ice."

Kassandra gently nudges Kyra in the arm before she sets her drink down on the floor. "As distracting and enjoyable as this has been, I don't think this will really make you feel any better in the long run. You shouldn't hold it all in now, I'm here."

Kyra's smile fades as Kassandra steers their conversation into the one she's been avoiding and she can feel the waterworks ready to go. She would try to keep it together as she didn't want to become an even bigger mess, but as she felt Kassandra's arm wrap around her shoulder, she lost it.

"I just don't think I can do this anymore." Kyra chokes out through a rather harsh sob. "Everyone hates me and I hate myself. Nothing I do is working and I'm a total failure."

Kyra leans forward to cradle her head in her hand while Kassandra removes the pitcher from her other, setting it on the floor. "I can't do the one job that I'm supposed to. I am here to protect my people, but they're starving. Not to mention there's an arsonist running freely as nobody has seen or heard a thing. I just... I just can't."

She feels Kassandra shift beside her and pull her in tight against her chest, rubbing small circles on her back. "You are not a failure Kyra, not even close. You love your people and they know that. It is never easy being responsible, but it is a burden we carry so others don't have to. We take on the challenges nobody else will because it's the right thing to do. That's you, Kyra, you're the one who puts everyone before your own needs. You're not magic, you cannot solve everything in an instant, but what you can do is your best and that takes time. Your people could not be in better hands than with you."

"You don't mean that." Kyra sniffs as she tries to calm herself down. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better, but it doesn't. I know what I am and what I'm not."

Kassandra releases her hold immediately and drops to her knees before Kyra. "Look at me, Kyra." Kassandra orders as she takes hold of Kyra's chin and turns it towards herself. "Do not for a moment think I'm only saying this to shut you up. There is a difference between me agreeing to avoid conflict and me saying how wonderful you are. I would never, ever tell you this if I didn't actually believe it. I am not in the business of coddling and you know this so do not for a second think my words are false. I have seen many leaders, but none have done what you've been willing to do for the greater good."

Kyra closes her eyes and she leans as much as she can into Kassandra's touch. She's missed the feel of her hands on her and the soothing feeling that followed. She still had her doubts, but Kassandra tended not to lie to make someone feel better so there had to be some truth to what she was saying.

"Stop it." Kassandra scolds, to what Kyra has not a clue. "I know what you're doing. Cut it out. You don't believe me, I can tell."

She was good and spot on. Kyra wasn't sure how she knew, but Kassandra was right on the mark. "Are you a mind reader now? Is that another one of your outer worldly powers?"

"No, that'd be ridiculous." Kassandra dismisses the notion. "Like it or not, I know you and I know how you are."

"How can you know who I am when I'm not even sure?" Kyra opens her eyes to look deeply into Kassandra's. "I thought I knew, but then you came and fucked it all up."

Kyra feels Kassandra release her hold as Kassandra must've thought that Kyra was angry at her, but Kyra wasn't angry, she was just lost.

Kassandra stands up in front of her and dread settles deep within her bones. She doesn't want to lose the touch so Kyra reaches out to take Kassandra's hand in her own and holds it tight to prevent Kassandra from leaving. "Please, let me finish."

Kassandra nods and takes a seat beside her, allowing Kyra to hold her hand and continue. "You turned my world inside out and I didn't know which way was up or down. I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but being with you changed my life. You showed me a world I never could have dreamed of and the life I thought I wanted became something I dreaded. You showed me there was more to every day than just what I could see from my window. I don't think I can just stay cooped up all day when I've done what I've done with you. I will always love my people, but I am afraid of the complacency."

Kyra has never told this to anyone before, but Kassandra wasn't just anyone. Even after the literal hell they've been through, Kassandra was still by her side when it mattered the most. Kassandra had shattered her heart before, but Kyra knew that she was also the only one who could put it together again.

"Kyra," Kassandra says gently, "there is nothing wrong with you. It is human to want more in life and you're no exception to this. Situations change and the best we can do is try to change with them so if leading Mykonos is no longer what you want to do, then leave."

Kyra scoffs at Kassandra's shoddy advice. "Just leave? Do you even realize what you're saying? We're in the middle of a crisis and you're telling me to leave them high and dry?"

Kassandra rolls her eyes which only serves to piss Kyra right off. "No, Kyra, that's not what I was saying as you interrupted before I finished. You don't have to do it now, but it's something to consider in the future."

"What future, Kassandra?" Kyra's voice escalates. "The way I see it is that I'm going to be miserable no matter what I choose so I might as well just stick to what I know."

"How can you say that?" Kassandra presses. "You loved our travels together. What's stopping you from doing it again?"

For as much progress as Kassandra seemed to have made, she still was oblivious to the most obvious answer. "You, Kassandra. You're the one stopping me."

Kassandra looks puzzled as she wasn't sure what she had done. "Me? How am I stopping you?"

Kyra closes her eyes and releases a deep sigh before she allows her tired, tear stained eyes to open once more. Kyra had backed herself into a verbal corner once again and had no choice but to tell Kassandra the truth. "It was never the traveling, Kassandra, it was because I did it with you. I loved everywhere we went, but it only became that way because you were by my side. There is no way I could do it alone because everything would remind me of you, of us. It was one of the happiest times of my life and I couldn't and wouldn't go through with it again without you."

"I meant that much to you?" Kassandra asks bashfully and Kyra could smack her for asking such a stupid question.

"Are you serious? You mean everything to me, Kassandra. You always have and you always will." Kyra says with a confidence she'd been lacking. "I love you. That's not something that just goes away because we had a fight."

Kassandra looks surprised by Kyra's admission. "That was more than a fight, we were awful to one another, me especially. I know I'm ashamed for basically everything I ever said and did while we were in Sparta. I was lashing out at you for no reason and I don't even know why. It was like my emotions were amplified for the first time and everything was just too overwhelming. I withdrew instead of talking to you like an adult, like a partner, and I wrecked everything. How can you still even say that you love me after all the hurt I caused you?"

"Because I can see that you're not the same woman I walked away from all those months ago." Kyra assures Kassandra, rubbing her thumb lightly across the back of Kassandra's hands. "Granted you lied to me for two years and that's still something I find myself grappling with from time to time, but I can also see why you didn't tell me. Nothing would have brought him back and I believe you when you said it was in self defense. I held you to such unrealistic expectations that I got angry, more than I ever should have, when you didn't meet them. I did things to hurt you because I could and I pushed you away and got cruel."

Kassandra places her hand gingerly on Kyra's knee as she looks her in the eyes. "You have nothing to apologize for. This is all on me and my irrational jealousy. I was so worried you would find someone better than me, someone who you cared for that would show you what I wouldn't. I was so afraid to lose you that I failed to see that I was pushing you away all on my own."

"We're a pretty hot mess, right?" Kyra laughs, having nothing else to describe it. "It seems like we're a pretty perfect pair after all. A beautiful disaster."

Kassandra doesn't answer her, but what she does is even better. Kyra watches as Kassandra gets up and pulls the sheet back, patting her side of the bed. "Why don't you come and lay down? I don't think you've slept very well lately."

"Are you saying I look bad?" Kyra teases as she watches Kassandra get flustered.

"What? No! Of course not. You look beautiful, I mean good. You look good." Kassandra defends adamantly. "I just thought given the issues you've had lately that you probably didn't sleep."

Kyra gets up and moves so that she's now standing in front of Kassandra. "Relax misthios, I'm only teasing." She allows herself to brush her hand up Kassandra's arm before she settles down in her bed. 

Kassandra pulls the cover over her and sits on the edge of the bed. "If you need me, I'll be right next door. Don't hesitate to wake me."

"Don't go. Stay with me, please." Kyra pleads, her eyes displaying everything she's feeling. A flurry of emotions all crashing down on her at once and the only person who can make her feel stable was Kassandra. She needed to have her close, to feel her presence next to her. It was the only way she'd be able to sleep.

Kassandra looks away towards the door, considering the request Kyra had asked of her. She knew she had no right to expect this from Kassandra after all they'd been through, but she had to try.

Kassandra looks back to her before she bends down and begins to take off her boots. "Fine, but I'm not sleeping in this and get your ass over to your side of the bed. You know this is my side."

Kyra gleefully scoots herself over and watches as Kassandra removes her clothes until only her undergarments remain. Kyra's physical attraction to Kassandra had never faltered and it certainly hasn't now, but Kyra was just content enough to have her touch in one of the most intimate of ways, cuddling. Kassandra is quick to pull Kyra towards her so that her back is now pressed against Kassandra's chest. She can feel the heat radiating from Kassandra and a warmth spreads through her body, tingling as it reaches the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes. She never would have imagined she would be in her arms again.

There was still much they needed to talk about, but that was a problem for her in the future. For now, she would enjoy this moment and commit it to memory for her to fall back on when she needed it. Kassandra was here with her, right now, and there's nowhere else Kyra wanted to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An angstless ending? Our girls actually talking? Am I mad? Maybe so, but I figured you l deserved to have something so teeth rottingly cute to tide you over. 😊


	28. Hate To Love You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll begin with saying that this chapter wasn't as long as I originally wanted it, but something is better than nothing so that's what I'm sticking to. We've got a bit more pizzazz in this chapter and a newer side to Kyra gets to emerge so that's super exciting. Otherwise, you're just going to have to read to find out.
> 
> You all know the drill by now so please comment and thank you all for reading!
> 
> Karmin - Hate To Love You  
> https://youtu.be/Ew8xXc5zuIU

Tomorrow always comes too soon, and with it comes the repercussions of the decisions of yesterday. It didn't matter what you did, you could never run from time. There was no pausing it, no reprieve, only the relentless promise of its guaranteed presence whether you came with it or not. It can hold such promises of a better day, but it also can loom a dark cloud over you in dread. In the grand scheme of things, it never really mattered one way or the other. Tomorrow was a gamble that you never knew the odds to until you stepped up to roll the dice.

"Kyra, wake up." A voice whisper to her as she curls further into a ball, nestling deeper into the cocoon of warmth she's amassed.

"I need to leave and you've got a death grip on my arm." Kyra doesn't heed the request as that would mean she had to move and she wasn't ready to do that yet.

"Let go or I'm going to have to make you and you don't want that." Kyra, again, ignores the slightly more insistent request until she feels a hand creep across her stomach.

Kyra's breath hitches as Kassandra hand lightly trails over her stomach, her mind kicking in to overdrive at the sensation. She knows they shouldn't just yet as they still needed to talk, but her body was betraying her. She could feel herself getting worked up already when Kassandra does something completely unexpected.

She tickles her.

Kyra's eyes snap open in an instant as she tries to squirm out of Kassandra's grasp, but is finding it impossible. Out of everything Kassandra's hand could have done, she never even once had considered being tickled. It seemed childish, but playful, a side of Kassandra she rarely ever got to see. She wishes she could enjoy it more, but the discomfort was 

"Kassandra! Stop! Please!" Kyra expresses in the form of a stifled laugh, her body flailing enough to free the arm Kassandra was in need of. 

As soon as the arm was free, Kyra feels Kassandra's other hand withdraw as well and misses the sensation instantly. It was not every day she woke up like this and it was definitely not the worst way to greet the day. Unfortunately, Kyra had forgotten about how much she had to drink last night and her head began to pound. 

"Oh fuck... my head." Kyra winces, shutting her eyes as presses against her forehead in attempt to help ease some of this ache. 

"I did warn you about tomorrow's regret and today is tomorrow." Kassandra shares as she shakes the feeling back into her arm. 

"I don't need a lecture, I need pampering." Kyra whines as she opens one eye to take in Kassandra as she stands beside the bed.

Kassandra laughs at her and continues to get dressed, either not minding Kyra's staring or not even noticing that she's doing it. Either way, she soaks in the vision of Kassandra that is before her and she can feel the warm sensation starting to heat itself back up again. A comfortable feeling that she's only ever felt with Kassandra and, even with a massive hangover, she doesn't want to see her leave.

"You poor baby." Kassandra teases as she sits back on the bed to put her boots back on. "If only I had the day off, but I have ibex to hunt and fish to catch so you'll have to manage."

A pounding in her head, pulsing relentlessly tells her that this idea she's thinking is a bad one, but her inherent need to be near Kassandra overrules this. "Why don't I come with? It's been too long since I've taken the hunt and I could use the fresh air."

This statement was enough to pause Kassandra, making her turn her head to glance back over her shoulder. "Are you serious? You drank half your weight in wine last night. I don't know if you should."

Kyra can hear the skepticism and she wants nothing more than to prove she still can do this. "It's nothing I cannot handle and besides, I remember how our last hunt went together and we walked away with plenty." They also definitely had sex too, but she'd leave that implication unspoken.

"Don't you have important work to do here? You seemed quite busy with it yesterday and it's probably smart not get too far behind." Kassandra tries to be the voice of reason, but all Kyra can hear is deflection.

Kyra sits up in her bed, doing her best to ignore the nauseating sensation that hit her as soon as she moved. She needed to keep any signs of discomfort from her face or Kassandra wouldn't let her go. It sounds foolish as she was the leader, not Kassandra, but Kyra was not the one with leverage here. She would put on a face of a liar and talk her way out of this.

There was no hopes of hiding her face as Kassandra's view was locked solely onto her so she needed to push through without flaw. "Thank you for taking concern with my workload, as I'm sure you've a vested interest in it, but I will be joining you and that's the last of this discussion." 

Kyra crosses her arms over her chest as if to prove a point of defiance and she meets Kassandra's look with a glare of her own.

"Fine, you win." Kassandra tosses her hands up in defeat before she finishes her boots and stands to face Kyra. "Just don't get so sick that you spook the ibex before we even get there and you've got five minutes or I'm leaving without you."

Kyra's doesn't try to conceal her delight, smiling bright for Kassandra to see. Forgetting her ailment until she jumps out of bed and remember with a vengeance that she was, indeed, not alright. Thankfully Kassandra had turned around, making her exit, so she didn't see Kyra's moment of weakness. Kyra knew she was going to be sick, but the closest thing to her was her potted plant outside...

She hesitates for only a second before she rushes the few steps out to her balcony and vomits into the poor plant. Better to get it done now than when she was out with Kassandra as she'd never be hearing the end of it. Heaving up what little there was in her stomach almost makes her regret drinking so much in the first place, but she can't seem to mind it too much as it got Kassandra back at her side.

Having wasted about three minutes already, Kyra rushes as fast as she can to get ready. She would keep it nice and casual as whatever she wore was going to get bloody so she didn't want to bring anything of value. She also knew that Kassandra would actually leave without her so she hurried as fast as she could downstairs and found her waiting at the door.

"I have to say, I didn't think you'd make it on time as I was just about to leave." Kassandra states as she runs her fingers across her spear.

Kyra walks closer to Kassandra, her voice dropping an octave as she runs her finger across the spear. "Let this go to show you that you should never doubt me, misthios. I'd hate for you to continue being wrong as I am just full of surprises."

Kyra wasn't sure what propelled her to do that, but whatever the motive, she was loving the reward. Kassandra began to blush and tried to clear her throat in a failed attempt to dispel the tension that was between them. She knew she had flustered Kassandra and it made her heart beat faster knowing she could still do that after all this time. Kassandra, the famed Eagle Bearer and demigod, would still get unnerved by an expertly placed innuendo. 

It was time to milk it.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Kassandra?" Kyra feigns concern at her newly acquired reddish color, placing the back of her hand against her forehead. "You look a bit flushed, are you hot?"

Kassandra all but recoils from her touch and Kyra has to fight to repress the desire to break character.

"Perfectly fine, nothing wrong whatsoever. Totally good." Kassandra clears her throat and moves to step past Kyra and out the door. "We should get moving before the sun comes up."

Kyra knows she could continue this little game of hers if she wants to, but Kassandra would be sure to get her back for it if it continued. Kassandra was daft sometimes in that department, but not so oblivious that it would completely go over her head at what Kyra was doing. She'd take the small win and walk with a bit more pep in her step.

"By all means, do lead the way." Kyra gestures for Kassandra to lead the way, following wherever Kassandra wants to take her. 

Kassandra keeps quiet for the entirety of the walk and Kyra doesn't mind the silence. She can sense Kassandra is tense, most likely looking for anyone suspicious, but she still finds it hard to believe that the cult could be here after they'd already run them off. She doesn't voice her doubts though as Kassandra didn't need that lack of support so she would, instead, indulge her to do as she pleases.

Lost in her inner monologue, Kyra almost smacks into the back of Kassandra when she stops dead in her tracks, holding up a fist to indicate a halt. She doesn't dare move as she was not paying any attention to their surroundings so when Kassandra ducks down, she follows.

"Look." Kassandra points ahead, keeping her voice just a hair above a whisper.

Beyond them are two ibex grazing, unaware that they have company. The animals have gotten more scarce as everyone tries to kill what they need so Kyra always tries to encourage that the males are taken out first to keep the circle of life going with the females. Unfortunately, both appear to be females.

"We shouldn't," Kyra whispers, "they're females and we need them for the repopulation."

Kassandra didn't argue with her and only whistled to startle the two ibex away so that they would be out of range. Kassandra moves closer to where the ibex were before she places her hand down on the ground and looks onwards. "Come, this way."

Kyra can only look on in awe as Kassandra tracks them to animal after animal without missing a beat. Most being female ibex's, but they also was able to catch a few smaller critters along the way so they would not go back empty handed.

"How do you do that?" Kyra asks in amazement as Kassandra finds another animal for them to catch.

"Do what? Track?" Kassandra responds as she examines the grass beneath them.

"Yeah, tracking," Kyra confirms, "because you've seriously found more animals in a few hours than my best hunters can get in a day. That's so incredible." 

"I can sense them." Kassandra answers vaguely, much to Kyra's dismay.

She wanted a bit more than that as an explanation, but she didn't want to force it as it was something more personal from what she could tell. She was done with trying to press Kassandra to talk unless it was of the utmost importance as that's one of the biggest problems they had. As much as it killed her to do it, she would have to take what she was given and be happy with it. She didn't need to like it, but she needed to respect it.

Kyra says nothing to Kassandra's comment until Kassandra stops to look at her funny.

"What?" Kyra questions as she turns around to see what Kassandra was looking at. "Is there something wrong?"

"I jus-," Kassandra shakes her head dismissively, "I just kind of expected more from that. It's not like you to just drop something."

"Times have a way of changing people, sometimes for the worse," Kyra looks deep into Kassandra's eyes, "or sometimes for the better."

"Now who's getting philosophical?" Kassandra raises her brow, getting in the small jab at the cost of killing the mood. 

What could've been another deeper discussion was now squashed, but it's not like this was really the time nor the place to have that kind of discussion. Still, Kyra did hope that Kassandra would have also taken the hint and offered her a bit more.

The sun all but had set when they decided to call it a day. Between the two of them, they had caught enough for almost everyone to have a good meal few meals. They didn't live on a meat heavy diet anyway so this would become jerky or something similar for those who needed nourishment in their travels. As skilled as she was with a bow, the same could not be said with fishing. She didn't have the same kind of patience with it and her frustrations caused her to make too many little mistakes for her to be of use. 

Kyra finds her view drifting to the sea as they walk along the shore when her eyes spot something unfamiliar. There appears to be a small boat or something similar coming towards them as it is almost touching the shore. It wouldn't have struck her so odd had they been closer to the docks, but this was clear on the opposite end. It was too dark to get a view of their faces, but there looked to be four or five bodies hunched together. This was not planned as they had no need to take such drastic measures (unlike when she was back in the rebellion) so this could only mean a few things. One of those being that Kassandra was right and it was the cult.

"Um, Kassandra... I think we're going to have company in the next few seconds." Kyra speaks in a hushed whisper to not notify these "guests" of their presence, but Kassandra doesn't hear her.

She knows there's a limited time before they'll get spotted (if they haven't already) and them being out in the open like this is not ideal. Sensing the heightened danger, Kyra sprints forward and side tackles Kassandra into the sand.

Kassandra almost immediately is on high alert and Kyra knows this means she will most likely question why she was just tackled so she clamps her hand over Kassandra's mouth.

"Mnnett oftt" Kassandra murmurs into her palm, but Kyra doesn't let go.

"Shh," Kyra shushes as she presses closer to Kassandra, "we have company, at least four men."

Kyra can feel Kassandra nod so she releases her hold and slides her body off her until they're side by side. They were completely exposed out here and this all could be nothing or this could be something and Kyra didn't want to remain a sitting duck either way. The other real unfortunate part was that the woods on this island were not dense so they had nowhere to retreat into. Feeling the urgency of their situation, Kyra's eyes dash around their perimeter in hopes of finding something to shield them, her eyes landing on a larger rock just to their right.

Kyra points it out to Kassandra and they slowly crawl their way to some sliver of visual protection. Only once they're right next to it do they lunge behind it.

"Hey, did you see that?" One of the men asks loud enough for them to hear.

Whelp, guess this hiding spot is a bust.

"There's nobody out here so calm down." Another man from the group chimes in.

Oh? Maybe they'd be home free after all.

"I'm telling you, I know what I saw!" The man raises with insistence. "Last thing we want is a repeat of last time so I'm not taking any chances."

Aaand there it goes once again.

"Fine, do as you wish, but we're sticking to the plan. Just be quick about it, you know he doesn't like to wait." The other man relents as he and the rest of the group move further away, leaving only the lone wander for them to contend with.

"I can't let them get away, Kassandra. I have to follow them." A determined push takes over her body. If these people think they can just come here without repercussions, well, she'd just have to show them how wrong they were. 

"Kyra, no!" Kassandra grabs at her, pulling her back down. "You can't just rush out like that! Who knows who else is out here."

"I can't just hide!" Kyra argues in a hushed whisper. "I need to protect my people."

Kassandra's glare was hard as she spoke. "Getting yourself killed isn't going to help anyone. Now sit down and shut up."

She doesn't bother to argue as Kassandra was right. If she just ran off like that, she could've gotten hurt or worse. They were better as a team and she needed to think with her head, not with her heart.

"I am going to distract this man and you're going to sneak around and knock him out. Got it?" Kyra knows this was more of a statement than a question, but she agrees anyway.

They wait until the man gets closer before Kassandra springs up in front of him, throwing her hands up as he points a sword towards her. "Hey now, you wouldn't harm a woman, would you?"

The two engage in some small talk, but Kyra doesn't pay attention as to what is being said. Her focus is on their perimeter to make sure there aren't any additional surprises. Kassandra was able to maneuver herself so that his back was now facing where they were hiding and she knows this to be the perfect time. Rising to the balls of her feet, Kyra lunges at the man and holds him hostage with her blade to his throat.

"Drop your weapon. Now." Kyra commands and the man does what he's told. 

"Good, now why don't you do us both a favor and tell us why you're here." She could feel the man shaking in fear, and rightly so as he has no idea who he's dealing with. 

"If I tell you, he'll kill me!" The man trembles out, but he will have no sympathy here.

"If you don't tell me, I'll kill you so it looks to me that you're in quite the predicament. My vote is that you tell me what I want to know and maybe, if your information is good, I'll just look the other way while you flee. Do we have an understanding?" Kyra knew full well this man was not living to see another sunrise, but she would allow him the false hope if it got her what she wanted.

Kyra releases the hold on the man and allows him to stand free between the two of them as they maneuver so that his back is to the water with nowhere to run. It was a show of good faith to help relax this lowly cultist, but if he were smart, he'd know better. Lucky for them that he wasn't. 

"I don't know the plans, honest. All I know is the location where we were all meeting. I don't know anymore than that, please, just let me go." The man pleads, but Kyra could tell he has holding out, so could Kassandra by the look on her face.

"Look, my friend and I here," Kyra motions between the two of them, "we don't believe you and if we don't believe you, that means we're going to kill you. So, why don't you do us all a favor and tell us the truth, hmm?"

The man looks between the both of them and he must realize how serious they are because his demeanor sinks and his shoulders slouch. The look of a man who has no options and nowhere to run, completely defeated.

"Deimos..." The man whispers, his voice gradually gaining strength, "Deimos is here along with several others like me. I don't know why he's picked this island as it is of no use to us. You have to believe me."

Kyra looks to Kassandra who's glaring intensely at this man so she will need to make the call as to what to do next as it is clear Kassandra isn't thinking clearly.

"Let's just say we know who this Deimos is and what he is capable of... This also means I know who you are and what you do." Kyra looks to him and can see the shame evident on his face. "So my next question to for you is simple. Where is he?"

The man's eyes dart around like he's looking for help and Kyra could swear she sees the light burn out entirely from them when he realizes how utterly alone he is so answering was his only chance. "There's a camp, on the eastern side that I am-, I mean, we are supposed to meet at dusk, but I don't know what he plans to do."

She shouldn't take such pleasure in his squirming, but she does. He may not be privy to much, but he still is a member of the cult and that deserves no less than death. It also leaves her to question if the recent ailments to her island were done by their hand as well and not that of a smaller resistance group like she'd thought.

"And what about the supplies on this island? There have been a number of fires lately and all fingers point to you." Kyra snarls the last part as she pokes at his chest with her dagger. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Me?!" The man gasps, stupefied at the insinuation. "I swear I had no part in it! I only just got here tonight. You saw me! Th-there were others already here, I had nothing to do with it."

"You have a boat you malaka!" Kyra spits at his feet for trying to play her like a fool. "This means you can come and go as you please, so why should I believe you didn't have a hand in this? How do I know you're not making this up to save yourself? These are MY people and I am responsible for them!"

Kyra couldn't control herself any longer and they'd gotten what they needed so he was of no further use. Stepping closer and with expert precision, she takes her dagger and slices his throat, watching as the life fades from his eyes as his blood soaks through her own clothing. She's never enjoyed this kind of killing, but she did enjoy the sense of justice. It would not solve her problems, but she knew there were plenty more out there to help fill the void. If anything, this feeling that she's getting right now only confirms what she had been doubting.

Being a leader is more than just putting your people first and making sacrifices. She would gladly bleed for her island to ensure peace, but it was no longer something she could do behind a desk. She was sending others to do her dirty work and giving others the responsibilities to make the ends meet. She just sat or listened for hours upon end like it made a difference. Nobody gets fed from being stagnant and that's all she has been since she's come back. She had grown, evolved into someone who desires a greater purpose in life and there was no turning back. She would have to relinquish her position and step down because she couldn't make her people happy if she was miserable.

Kyra feels a hand on her shoulder and is snapped out of her glazed stare at the dead man before her. Kyra knows the touch to be Kassandra's as it was firm and soft at the same time. She was silently grateful for the contact because she hadn't realized just how zoned out of the moment she was and she didn't have the luxury of time for her to have this existential crisis.

Kassandra looks at her with such tenderness, it could easily be taken as fragility. She was fine and she didn't need to be harped on by this burst of behavior. She meant what she said earlier that sometimes people change, for better or for worse.

"We need to go to that location." Kyra announces as she wipes the blood from her hands onto her clothing. "I know the place, only one entrance in or out."

She begins to walk away, but stops short when she notices Kassandra wasn't following. There's that mixed look on her face still and Kyra doesn't like it. If anyone should understand how she feels, it's Kassandra, but she finds no support in her eyes, only concern.

"I don't think it's a good idea to just rush in." Kassandra comments as she crosses her arms. "It's clear they have this place well vetted so we should do some recon first before we strike."

"It will be fine." Kyra dismisses her concern with a wave of her hand. "It's not a very big space so there can't be that many of them so how hard can it be?"

That question right there? Almost immediate regret. Not only was it definitely not fine, but it also was swarming with cultists who's sole purpose was to surround them and trap them. Kyra did not heed to any of Kassandra's warnings as they approached and, for whatever reason, Kyra felt the need to rush in and take them all out by surprise which would've been great except for the fact that they were greatly outnumbered. Their stealth like approach had been blown almost immediately so the two of them just had to strike first, ask questions later. For as stubborn as she had been all day, she did at least listen to Kassandra as they fought and remained back to back with her as they cleared out the first wave.

"You know, I knew my outfit today was going to be bloody, but this... this is not quite what I had in mind." Kyra huffs out after bending over to catch her breath.

"Yeah, well I did warn you that this was definitely an awful idea." Kassandra exhales harder, but she didn't appear to be nearly as winded as Kyra was. "What color were you even wearing to begin with? I can't tell."

Kyra looks down to check, but all she can see is a crimson red being absorbed by every fiber. "You know... I don't know."

"How very touching." A deep voice echoes loudly around them, sending everyone into silence. "Seems that you squabble over the mundane like a commoner, even in the face of danger. It would be admirable if you both weren't so pathetic."

Kyra doesn't take kindly to that kind of talk, but before she can speak, Kassandra jumps in and solves the question as to who this mystery man was.

"Alexios..." 

Ho. Ly. Shit.

Standing before them was a man who looked like Hercules reincarnated. His physical stature was intimidating and his posture and voice could command the attention of all those around him easily. She could see the similarities between the two of them, but time was not as kind to him as it was to Kassandra (although she could be biased). No, Alexios was someone you would never forget and he surely seemed like the type of man you'd never even want to meet.

"My name," he growls out in disgust, "is Demios and you'd do better to remember this lest I cut out your tongue."

"You do not scare me, brother." Kassandra reminds him of there connection and Kyra watches as he flinches ever so at the word. "Only a coward hides behind their words so come and fight me."

Alexios regains himself before his cultists even knew something was off. "All in good time, but for now, I have other plans for you. For both of you actually."

Kassandra takes a few bold steps towards him. It appeared that he'd struck a nerve and he knew it by the wicked grin on his face. "If you hurt her, I will kill you where you stand."

Alexios all but saunters up towards them, his eyes never leaving Kassandra's. "I don't think you're in a position to be making threats. In fact, I do believe I'll get you to surrender without ever having to lift a blade myself."

Kassandra scoffs at the mete notion of this. "Oh yeah? Well how do you plan on doing that?"

"Like this."

With a snap of his fingers, at least twenty men come out of hiding. Kassandra was too focused on her brother and Kyra was too focused on Kassandra to notice that a few of those twenty had inched much closer up behind her until it was too late. Kyra can feel the sharp prick of the blade in the middle of her neck and she knew that she couldn't get out of this without risking death. She had no choice but to concede and hope to live long enough to see it another day.

Kyra catches Kassandra's eyes and sees them filled with fear before her world goes black as she's knocked unconscious by one of the cultists. Her body slumping ungraciously to the ground.

When Kyra awakens a time later, she thinks that whole ordeal as just a bad dream. She hadn't had such a vivid dream like that in ages, but it could've been the wine she had consumed. The only problem with this theory was that Kyra couldn't see a thing and the world felt like it was moving beneath her. The more awake she seemed to get, the more discomfort she began to feel too as her head ached something fierce and her arms ached. Attempting to get the blood flowing, Kyra tries to move one of her hands, but finds they're restrained. That was all it took for her dreamland thinking to die and the dread and reality of what actually happened to sink in.

She was a prisoner.

Alexios' men must have snuck up behind her for a cheap shot because her memory blacks out after that. Family or not, when she freed herself from this, she was going to beat him to a pulp. This had been a trap all along. She had been reckless and now both she and Kassandra were trapped inside an ever shrinking circle of men who wanted to kill them. They were both going to die and it was completely her fault.

Kyra tries again to free her hands, but she winces in pain from the tight rope contractions around her wrists.

"Kyra? Is that you?" She hears Kassandra ask from across the room from where she was. 

"Oh thank the gods," Kyra exhales in relief at hearing her voice. "I am so glad you're still alive! Are you hurt?"

"Nothing I cannot handle." Kyra got in response and she knows that's code for "I'm in pain, but I don't want to appear weak." "How are you? Are you harmed?"

If she were to be honest, her pride hurts worst of all. She thought she could handle all this and do it by herself, but she couldn't. She should have listened to Kassandra and they wouldn't be in this mess. Instead, she'll give the answer Kassandra wants to hear. "My head hurts from where I was knocked out and my arms feel numb from how they tied me with the rope. Otherwise I think I'm good."

"Do you-," Kyra hesitates at first, unsure if she wants to know the answer, "do you know where we are? I don't remember anything after I got knocked out."

Kassandra goes into detail of how she had surrendered when the threat of harm towards Kyra was mentioned and that they were taken on two separate boats to ensure she behaved. How she accepted the beating of the men who brought them here with no protest until they grew tired and stopped on their own accord. "...and now I've been waiting for you to wake up so I could gear your voice again to know you were alright."

"Perfectly peachy, never better. I just love getting kidnapped for the weekend." Kyra sarcastically remarks, hearing a strained wheeze coming from Kassandra as she laughs. In the background, Kyra can hear the sound of a hatch being opened and closed followed by footsteps growing nearer.

"Well, to be fair, we could have been spending this night at your house eating some stew and having good wine." Kyra cannot see Kassandra, but she can imagine how pretentious she looks saying this. "Definitely the furthest thing from abduction as possible."

"Are you seriously going to do this right now?" Kyra asks incredulously. "Your brother has taken us and is going god knows where and you're going to get smart with me?"

"I haven't the faintest idea to what you're talking about." Kassandra remarks. "I'm just merely having a conversation. Is that a crime?"

"I hate you so much right now..." 

"No you don't."

"Just shut up." Kyra growls out in agitation. "I can't even see you and I can feel your smugness."

"I'm not being smug!" Kassandra laughs and is hit with a other wheeze.

"Just say it." Kyra demands.

"Say what? What is it you think I want here?"

"Just say that you were right and that I was wrong."

"You know I don't take pleasure in that fact, right?"

Is she joking? Is Kassandra actually thinking she's serious with this? "Oh bullshit you don't, I know you better than that. Just. Say. It."

"Will you two just SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!" Alexios shouts, startling both women as neither of them knew they had company. "I had no idea just how insufferable you'd be together or I would've sent you both to separate parts of the ship."

"If you come and untie me, I'll gladly walk to wherever you want me." Kassandra offers, but Alexios isn't nearly that stupid to take the bait.

"Nice try, but I have other ways to punish you both now that you're at my mercy." Kyra can just hear the animosity in his voice and it sends a chill up her spine. "Now you both shut up and stay quiet or I'll make you regret it."

Alexios storms out of sight, leaving just she and Kassandra in a small room. Her vision has adjusted some and it looked like they were in a jail cell so the odds of escaping out of here were slim to none. Everything Kassandra had told her about Alexios screamed bad news so the last thing she wanted to do was to piss him off. For now, she'd have time to think and hopefully come up with a plan to get them both out of here. This time though, she would work as a team because they are better together and this was just the reality check she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I said there would be no angst with them and I'm *technically* not lying as the angst is now with the situation and not them.
> 
> Yay technicalities!


	29. Brokenhearted (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated Thanksgiving all (if that is something you celebrate)! Mine went pretty well and the flight to and from gave me some time to write this as I found myself distracted all week (whoops). 
> 
> I think you all will absolutely LOVE this chapter and there will be a Part 2 next week to keep it going from Kyra's POV. That said, please enjoy the read and hit me up in the comments!
> 
> Karmin - Brokenhearted  
> https://youtu.be/s8cbak34DR0

Of all of the ways these past couple days could have gone, getting kidnapped by her brother was not even within the realm of possibilities. To add to that, she didn't think it would be without so much as a struggle. Her meeting with Alexios had gone so much differently in her mind and it was a disappointment that she would carry that the reality was as far away from her vision as possible. There was no epic battle, there was no efforts to rationalize, just her surrendering herself to protect Kyra.

For as smart as Kyra usually is, she's been incredibly stupid and unhinged as of late. The fact that this entire situation could have been avoided if she would've just listened to her, but no, she had to do it her way and now they're here. Tied up, beat up, and shoved on a ship going god knows where to meet an unknown fate. They would most likely be killed if Kassandra didn't come up with something to get them out of this, but it was hard to make a plan when so much was a mystery. Not to mention that they both had sustained injuries, hers a little more serious than she let on, but she's had worse and they would heal. Her sole concern was Kyra who seemed to be managing alright given their current circumstances.

They couldn't have been down here for more than a couple hours and, from the muffled sounds she could hear above, it sounded like they were going to be there for a while. Kassandra hated her situation and she hated even more that she was stuck being stagnant. She always needed to be on the move, to keep herself busy, but here in this cage she had no options. She was forced to sit in the dark with her thoughts and she despised it. Her only other option was to talk to Kyra, but after their little outburst with Alexios, it was less than appealing. It appeared lighthearted at first, but Kassandra found herself getting more frustrated with her the more time passed. 

The same questions swarmed her mind over and over and she was no closer to an answer now than she was when it all first happened. Why did Kyra just rush in like that? Why did she care so much that she was willing to risk her own life and that, by proxy, Kassandra's? Did she think she could just do it alone? Kyra always thought things through, it's what made her so efficient leading the rebellion, but everything she's seen recently is nothing like what Kyra would have done. It all was incredibly uncharacteristic and Kassandra couldn't help but think there was something that Kyra wasn't telling her. Changes like this don't just happen so something has to be wrong, but what?

She wouldn't know if she didn't ask, but she's not sure she's ready for that conversation at this very second. It would have to happen soon because she isn't sure how much time they have left and if she was going to die, she wouldn't go with this on her conscious. There were lots of loose ends that would never be tied up, but when it involved Kyra, Kassandra didn't dare leave anything unspoken. She just didn't know how to broach the subject without causing Kyra to panic. Thankfully, Kyra decides to break their silence first.

"Where do you think we're headed?" She asks, her voice a bit hoarse.

"I wish I knew, but I'm at a loss." Kassandra admits. "I can hear bits from above us, but all I know is that we'll be down here for a few days at the least."

"Days?!" Kyra repeats, clearly unhappy with this knowledge. "This is awful. What are we going to do?"

Kassandra knows she shouldn't comment as Kyra was just talking out loud, but all she wanted to do was blame her for this. She was mad at the reckless abandon Kyra had shown and she's honestly surprised neither of them are dead right now because of it. If they were lesser fighters, she was sure they'd be dead and tossed aside without a care in the world and that it was a sheer stroke of luck that both were still breathing. 

"We? No. We are not going to do anything." Kassandra answers, her voice as cool as the draft they were getting from the rotting wood holding together this ship.

"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing while we wait to be executed now can we?" Kassandra hears the snap in Kyra's tone and that's all it took to send her careening into a tangent that she would most likely regret. 

"I think you've done quite enough for the both of us lately." Kassandra scoffs.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyra reacts as though it were a personal offense (and in a way, it was).

"Did you forget that we're only here because of you?" She reminds Kyra, doing her best not to yell and attract unwanted attention. "We are here in this dank and musty cage because you didn't listen to me and acted like a malaka. It was dumb and reckless and you could've been killed! What were you even thinking? Just running in like that? Oh, that's right, you didn't. It's like rational thoughts are a thing of the past and all you care to do is be impulsively stupid. Did you not even think for a second that what you did could've been a bad idea? If I hadn't have handed myself over so easily, they would have killed you on the spot! Do you not realize this? Gods... just fucking think!"

Kassandra was heated and her venomous words flowed aggressively out of her like lava from an active volcano. She knows she shouldn't have said most of what she did, but she needed Kyra to understand the gravity of their situation and how awful it could have gone, how it could still go.

The silence between them is tense at best and Kassandra waits for Kyra to respond, to fight back, but she never does. If Kassandra didn't know better, she'd think she was alone in this makeshift prison. The only thing that Kassandra could hear was her labored breathing. The more the quiet remained, the guiltier she felt about her outburst. The words needed to be said, but her execution should have been different. Arguing about it now will not fix anything and she doesn't want their possible last moments together to be filled with bitterness.

Realizing she needed to apologize, Kassandra clears her throat. "Kyra... I- I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way."

Kassandra waits for a response and, again, she's met with only silence for minutes on end.

"Kyra, please, say something." Kassandra all but begs at this point as this animosity was killing her.

"What would you like me to say?" Kyra answers, her voice void of any feeling.

"I don't know, but you must have something to say to me after all that." She and Kyra had argued before so she knows Kyra can give as good as she receives so it made no sense for her to hold back. "Be mad, be angry, be something! I can't take the silence."

"I don't have anything I want to say to you right now Kassandra, but if it will help relieve your conscious, I'm not angry or mad at you." Her words sounded genuine which only caused Kassandra more confusion.

"How can you not be?" Kassandra asks dumbfounded. "I said some very hurtful things to you that I shouldn't have."

"Nothing you said was wrong, so there's nothing I could be mad at. Everything you said was right." The confession stuns Kassandra as she didn't expect Kyra to agree with her.

"No, no Kyra it wasn't." Kassandra tries to move closer to Kyra, but she seems to be tied to something very sturdy. "I wasn't right."

"Enlighten me then," Kyra challenges, "just what part of what you said wasn't accurate?"

Kassandra hesitated and that was all Kyra needed to hear. "Exactly like I thought. Don't insult me by changing your mind now, I know you meant every word."

Kassandra wanted to take it all back, but it was too late. They both knew that she meant her words and because she couldn't keep her damn mouth shut, they both had to deal with it. She felt no better after saying what she did, if anything she felt worse knowing that Kyra accepted each cruel word as valid. It was one thing for her to be firm, but she was unnecessarily cruel when she didn't have to be. Of course Kyra felt guilty over what happened. She knew her part in all this and Kassandra didn't need to be reminding her of her failure. Here she was berating Kyra for being so impulsive when she was doing the same thing in just a different way.

She needed to fix this and not just because she was uncomfortable by it, but because it was the right thing to do. "Regardless of if I meant it or not, it wasn't right for me to say it. I could've handled it differently, but I let my emotions get the best of me which is exactly what happened with you."

Kassandra cannot see Kyra well, but she would hazard a guess that the comment got her attention so she continues. "You care so much that it blinded your better judgment, much like my outburst now. It doesn't change the fact that it happened, but we can change how we react to it and learn from it so it doesn't happen again. I know I'm also guilty of harboring poor thoughts about you and this situation so I'm trying to be as honest as I can be, but I overstepped the mark. I can't take back what I said anymore than you can take back what you did, but we can try to figure it out, together, if you're willing."

It was more inspiring sounding than Kassandra could've ever hoped for so the only thing to do now was wait for Kyra's reaction. Were her words enough to undo the damage she caused? Could Kyra forgive her yet again for her slip up? 

"I-... I don't know." Kyra's response to her carried with it a slight tremor. A waiver that's all too familiar when one is crying. "I will need to think about it."

"Whatever you need to do." Kassandra offers without a catch. "We'll be here for a while so you've got until we arrive if that's what you wish. You don't have to say anything to me if you don't want to."

"It's not that, Kassandra," Kyra corrects, "it's just that this is all so much to process. You striding back into my life, us acting like nothing had ever happened, like old times, and then everything with your brother... it is just a lot to deal with and I've never had the chance to process it."

"Oh." Kassandra acknowledges in a sort of a-ha moment. "Well, now that you say it like that, I do see your point. That's quite the few couple days."

"I have to ask," Kyra sounds nervous but continues on anyway, "how are you so put together? I mean, other than yelling at me. You're acting like we're not about to die whereas that's all I'm thinking about. How do you do it? Are you genuinely not afraid?"

Kassandra almost laughed at Kyra's question because of how far from the truth it actually was. "Of course I am afraid Kyra, I would be daft to not be. These people, Alexios, they all wish us harm so I am rightly concerned for our fates."

"Even when you were speaking..." Kyra trails off in search of the right word, "...poorly, about me and how we got here, you still didn't mention yourself. You told me that I could've been killed, but you never talked about yourself coming to harm. It made me think you weren't concerned about your livelihood."

"I can assure you that I am quite concerned for the both of us, but you were-" Kassandra pauses for just a second as she catches herself in past tense, but it couldn't be more present. Kyra is and always will be her first concern. _"...are, _you are my first priority."__

__"But why?"_ _

__It is an innocent enough question, but it only hits home that Kassandra hasn't been showing Kyra what she should have been. If she has to question her motives to keep her safe and protected, she's failed in showing Kyra her love. She was waiting for the right time to say it and she always backed out, but now, there was no promise of a later, of a future. She couldn't run from this any longer so it was time she spilled everything that she's been holding in._ _

__It was time to say it._ _

__Taking a deep and calming breath, Kassandra steadies herself so that she can bare her soul to the only person in this world she truly cares for. The only person she could trust implicitly, the woman she adored._ _

__"It's because I-,"_ _

__A loud bang erupts from above them, cutting Kassandra off before she can finish. It is followed by two more loud bangs and yelling before silence stretches once again. The timing of that was far too coincidental, but it isn't like the men above them can hear her. Her courage is not as strong as it was a moment ago as all her momentum from her little pep talk was all but gone, but she still needed to say it so she'd have to try again._ _

__"Kyra, I lo-"_ _

__"WATCH OUT!"_ _

__A shout from above her cuts her off, once again putting a stop to her confession. A slam of a hatch signaled that they were no longer alone as Alexios and another man walks up with a torch to look in on them both._ _

__This was now the second time she's been prevented from saying it so perhaps it was a sign from the gods that she shouldn't say it at all. I mean, why else would two conveniently done interruptions happen right when she was about to profess her love? She should probably be more worried about what was happening around them than what she had initially intended to say, but it wasn't like she could help them out anyway. She'd rather watch them all choke than raise a finger to save them._ _

__"Hope you've enjoyed your stay so far, you'll be spending a lot of time in a cell for the foreseeable future." Alexios taunts them and Kassandra can feel her blood boiling at his arrogance._ _

__"You," He points to Kyra, "the Eagle Bearer's sidekick. Get up. I want to have a word with you."_ _

__"Don't you fucking touch her!" Kassandra shouts as the man that accompanied Alexios unbinds Kyra before grabbing her roughly by the hair._ _

__"You'd best watch your tongue when you speak to me or she will lose hers." Alexios threatens and Kassandra's jaw clenches shut. She dared not defy him yet as she hadn't nearly had enough time to bring him back. She would keep quiet and trust that Kyra would be able to handle what was about to happen._ _

__It was hours before Kyra was returned back to their cell and the unknown man tied Kyra back up. Kassandra was relieved to know she was still alive and in one piece, relatively speaking. How she wanted to rush and hold her, but these damn restraints were keeping her locked in place. Only once the coast was clear did Kassandra speak. "Are you hurt? Did they harm you? I swear to the gods I will kill them if they did anything."_ _

__"I've had worse." Kyra tries to deflect, but Kassandra can hear her wheezing, a sign of injured ribs, a sound she did not have when she left. "Besides, Alexios actually stopped a more severe beating from the man who dragged me out. It felt personal with him, but I don't know who he is or what his deal was. It's not like I have anything useful to give them anyway and I think Alexios could tell. He's just as perceptive as you are when someone is lying."_ _

__"I am sorry I couldn't stop this from happening." She felt guilty for ever putting Kyra in this position as if it weren't for her, Kyra never would be in this mess. "They only want you because of me and they will do what they can to get to me."_ _

__"Just forget about it." The way Kyra says it makes Kassandra drop the subject. It was clear that she didn't want to talk about it so Kassandra would respect that. "You were saying something before I left, what was it?"_ _

__Kassandra would once more try to tell Kyra how she felt. One more time she would give it a go and may the gods help anyone who interrupted her. "I'm going to try this again." Kassandra murmurs to herself before she raises her voice to a level Kyra could hear. "What I've been trying to say is-."_ _

__"Wait!" Kyra chimes in and Kassandra tosses herself back into the bars she's attached to, fed up with making the attempt a third time and STILL not having it work. "I'm so sorry for interrupting, but I think you'll want to know that I just freed one of my hands."_ _

__Ok, so out of all the interruptions, this wasn't the worst. "That's great news! Keep trying with the other and then you should be able to untie me. They really went the extra mile to ensure I didn't escape."_ _

__Kassandra can hear small grunts and some muttered curses from Kyra's end. If her ropes were tied as tight as her own, they would certainly be chafing and raw at this point. It wouldn't do too much good having their hands free, but it would put them both in a much more desirable position. So long as they paid attention to their surroundings, they could give the appearance that they were still fully captive._ _

__"Got it!" Kyra softly exclaims a moment later. She wastes no time with her newfound freedom as she was up and moving towards Kassandra the moment she could._ _

__It took a little maneuvering as it was still very dark, but Kyra was now kneeling beside her. "Your hands are just an inch away from the wall. I won't be able to reach it from the sides."_ _

__Kassandra expected as much, knowing that if she were given the opportunity, she would attempt to wiggle free. There would only be one angle Kyra could work at._ _

__"Straddle me."_ _

__"Excuse me?" Kyra answers instantly and Kassandra realizes that she only had the conversation in her mind about the positioning so it could be taken very suggestively._ _

__If only it were that kind of request for fun..._ _

__"To get a better angle," Kassandra clarifies, grateful Kyra cannot see the blush that's surely risen to her cheeks, "you'll need to straddle me to reach behind me."_ _

__"Oh, yeah, of course." Kyra fumbles out and Kassandra can only imagine that Kyra's just as flushed as she is._ _

__Kyra scoots her leg over until her body rests on top of her thighs and Kassandra has to press her lips together to suppress any sound coming from her lips. All of Kyra was now rested on her and she had missed this more than she realized. A very small part of her is grateful her hands were tied or she'd not be able to control herself (but only a very small part). Kyra's chest was directly level with her face too and, depending on what Kyra was doing, it was pressed right up against her. She could tell Kyra was focused on the knots and wasn't aware of just what she was doing to her so when Kyra sinks deeper into her lap, Kassandra was unprepared._ _

__A brief moan escapes her lips and her eyes shoot wide as there was no way that Kyra didn't hear that. Kassandra could feel Kyra tense and she mentally berates her body for allowing her to embarrass herself like this and make it weird._ _

__"I am so sorry." Kassandra apologizes, mortified. "I didn't mean to-"_ _

__Kassandra's words are cut off by Kyra sinking herself back on top of her, grinding forward ever so lightly._ _

__Another moan escapes her lips, but no longer does she feel embarrassed by it because there was no mistaking what just happened. The first one was surely an accident, but this second one... it was deliberate._ _

__"Kyra..." Kassandra growls out as she tries to lift herself up just a bit higher to allow more contact, but Kyra just lifts herself up._ _

__She feels Kyra's hands trail from her waist to her shoulders so that Kyra's arms are all but wrapped around her neck. She can also feel her body move so that is it flush up against her own with Kyra's face resting in the crook of her neck._ _

__"You know," she whispers in Kassandra's ear, sending a shiver up her spine, "I've been wanting this since the moment I saw you in my office. How I've missed your touch..."_ _

__Kassandra isn't even going to try to form any sort of response this second because her brain is misfiring from their close proximity and it only intensifies when Kyra gently bites her ear, tugging it ever so. If there was anything coherent left in her mind, it was long gone because her mind had only one thing in it and her name was Kyra._ _

__Kassandra struggles against her restraints, but they were snug and her pulling on them only made it worse. She could feel the rawness of her wrists getting worse and, as much as it killed her to do this, she knew she needed to get Kyra back on track._ _

__"Kyra," she huskily speaks in an attempt to set them back on task, "as much as I love where this is going... I think you should probably untie me as we have bigger things to deal with right now."_ _

__Kyra places a chaste kiss on her jaw before she pulls away and settles back on Kassandra. "I suppose you're right. Sit still and I'll have you out in no time."_ _

__Kyra works meticulously, but the positioning isn't optimal and the rope is proving to be trickier than initially thought._ _

__"They really didn't want you to escape." Kyra mentions as she tries to work the rope free. "I've not encountered a knot like this before and nothing I'm doing seems to make a difference."_ _

__The sound of someone stomping on the hatch to enter their area startles the both of them and tethers them back to their current reality. Having been temporarily defeated (and not wanting to get caught), Kyra goes to settle back where she was tied up. Kassandra misses the contact, but it is the best course of action in case they get any visitors._ _

__"Don't be discouraged. If anyone can figure it out, it's you. You're excellent at finding solutions for the impossible and I know you will think of something." Kassandra means every word as Kyra was the only one she'd ever trust in a crisis._ _

__Kyra had proven herself when they first met and, even with the fiasco that happened to get them here, she was still the best strategist she knew. Kassandra was no longer harboring of her earlier anger and gone were the thoughts of her trying to do this alone. They work better together and she was finally ready to accept what that meant._ _

__"Do you- do you mean that?" Kassandra hears the doubt in Kyra's voice and she feels sorry for ever putting it there in the first place._ _

__"I have never meant anything more." Kassandra answers strong and unwavering to undo some of the damage she's caused._ _

__It was time for her to be honest as there was no time like the present to finally allow Kyra in. For all this time she's kept her walls up in fear of getting hurt, but by doing so, she's been the one causing the damage. Kyra has proven herself worthy of her heart and now it is time Kassandra earned what Kyra had given with her own._ _

__It was time for her to come clean._ _

__"Kyra, I have to say something to you and I need you to listen, and only listen, because I do not want to lose my nerve so I just need to say this all at once." Kassandra holds for just a second, waiting for yet another interruption, but she finds that all she hears are the crashing of the waves against the ship. Feeling confident that she'll finally have the floor, she allows her heart to speak untamed._ _

__"There is so much I need to say to you that I've just kept inside and you deserve to know. I don't know what is going to happen to us and I'm not just doing this now to get it out, but I realize I may not have another chance. I've been so stupid and I should have done this so long ago, but I was afraid." Kassandra's voice waivers with raw emotion, but she cannot stop it now. She needed to do this or she would regret it forever._ _

__"I was afraid of allowing you to see me and not liking who I am. I was so terrified that you'd walk away from me that I didn't notice I was the one doing the pushing. I kept myself so guarded and kept secrets from you and I have no excuses and I'm ashamed." And she was as Kassandra had never felt so low in her life. "The fact that you still even want to talk to me is more than I could have ever hoped for, but it isn't something I deserve. I'm not a good person, but when I'm with you I feel like I want to be better, but I've been fighting it. I don't like change so I've been resisting for so long, but it kept getting harder and harder."_ _

__"You inspire in me something I've never felt before..." Kassandra tries to grasp the right words, but she doesn't know how to put it so she tries something new._ _

__She describes her feelings._ _

__"I don't know the word for it, but I know how it makes me feel. It's like an encompassing love that warms me from the inside out. You Kyra, you repair my broken soul every time you so much as look at me and I find myself utterly entranced. I have never lost control of myself before, but I find I'm anything but in control when I have you near. My heart flutters when you touch me and I would move the world to make you smile. You have this power over me that I cannot explain, but I'm done running from it. I'm done being so afraid."_ _

__Grateful for the shroud of darkness that looms over them, Kassandra allows the tears prickling her eyes to flow. They slowly make their way down her cheeks, the saltiness of them making it burn. These memories, these emotions she's pulling from her repressed mind are strong and staunch reminders of her failures, but she will not allow that to deter her from exposing her heart._ _

__"I have never felt so scared then when you walked away from me in Sparta. I have seen some pretty horrific things in my life, but none compare to the fear I felt when I thought I had lost you." With tears in her eyes and a weight in her heart, Kassandra silently offers an olive branch to Kyra for a chance to right her wrongs. "You once asked me if there's nothing I couldn't do and I said no, but I lied. There is something I can't do and that's lose you. I can't live without you in my life because you are my life."_ _

__Now is time for the moment of truth. The words she's been too afraid to say because then everything becomes real. She cannot take it back once it is said, but she can say for the first time that she's ready. She is ready to allow Kyra to hold her heart in her hands, for her to protect it and love it. She is ready to accept the risk that love entails and she can only pray to the gods that Kyra believes what she says and can still love her too._ _

__"The fact of the matter is that I just love you Kyra, I just love you so, so much."_ _

__Kassandra feels the crushing weight she's been carrying for so long lift off her shoulders by her long overdue profession of love. She should have done this months ago, but she would make up for it._ _

__"I have loved you since that night on the beach when I got to see you with your guard down. I knew you were special the instant our eyes met after you expertly tossed your dagger at me, which, by the way, was so unexpected and hot." Kassandra allows herself to get a little off track as she remembers her reaction to the whole ordeal before she refocuses. "But seriously, every moment we've shared since then only proved that I was right all along with choosing you. Even though I didn't know it at the time as I was clueless because I don't do love, but the more time we spent together, the more I knew what I had. You get my blood pumping and knowing what you've done for me, for us, only makes me love you more. I think that's just about it so, um yeah..."_ _

__It's not like Kyra would just be fine by all of this by any means (as it was a lot), but she's hoping that Kyra will at least be open to her about what this means for them. She had spilled her soul and now the decision was up to Kyra for if she was something to fight for. They had needed this conversation for many months so she needed to be ready for anything that Kyra needed to say back._ _

__"Why now?" Kyra asks calmly. "Is it because we're probably going to die? Is this why you're telling me this now? I need to know."_ _

__"I actually would have said I loved you earlier, you know? If you hadn't have taken off." Kassandra confesses. "I had been waiting for so long, for the right moment that when you asked me, I seized up. I knew then that you wouldn't believe me if I told you and you'd think it was just me saying what you wanted to hear. I knew I needed to prove it to you before you would trust my words."_ _

__Kassandra hoped that this would be enough to prove her love, to show Kyra how much she means to her. That everything she's done has been for her and that she's a changed woman and it was all because of Kyra. She now would have to wait with baited breath until Kyra processes everything she just unloaded._ _

__For Kyra, she would wait as long as she needed to. She loved her and that was never going to change._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHE SAID IT!!!!


	30. Brokenhearted (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna start off by throwing up a warning in this chapter for violence/torture. It's nothing super descriptive and it doesn't last very long, but in case that's not what you want to read, I wanted you to be prepared.
> 
> I always seem to find it easier writing Kyra's POV more than Kassandra's and this was no exception. I've written my absolute favorite piece of dialogue in this chapter and I think you'll know exactly when it hits because I think it's going to be your favorite too. 
> 
> Hope you all love this and you know the drill by now with the comments :)
> 
> Karmin - Brokenhearted  
> https://youtu.be/s8cbak34DR0

The beauty of time is that it keeps on ticking away no matter what happens. A world crisis? A local problem? A personal issue? They are all vastly different concerns, but they all share the very same vision of continuance. It doesn't matter how large or small the scale is, time treats them all as equals and makes no concessions. Perhaps there is some deeper meaning to this that humans just cannot come to fathom yet, but perhaps the answer is already right in front of them and they refuse to see it. Time is the one constant in life and is taken for granted until you are faced with the realization of an end. Only then can you realize how fragile the concept of time truly is and how you'd do just about anything for more of it.

More time to make amends, more time to live the life you always dreamed you should, and just more of everything as life was too short to cut any corners on your path. Time is the answer to all problems, but it also ends up being the greatest question we face. What to do with time? Should you use it for some sort of personal redemption or should it be used to help the greater good? Should you use that opportunity to surround yourself with those you love or should you take that time you've neglected and give it to yourself now? Time had no solution and it never would so it was up to you and you alone on how you would face the abstraction that is time. 

For Kyra, this became the dilemma.

She needed time that she didn't have and it was not going to make an exception for her. Far too young to be struck down in such a fashion, but all it takes is one mistake and she served multiple ones on a silver platter all at once. It was not just one thing that brought her world crashing down, but a culmination of everything finally coming to a head. All she could do was feel regret and guilt for where she ended up, and more importantly, where Kassandra ended up. It would've been one thing to go down alone, but to take Kassandra down with her was inexcusable. 

The mood had changed significantly since Alexios scolded the two of them like small children and Kyra could sense that something wasn't quite right. It didn't take a genius to understand why it had changed, but Kyra still was slightly optimistic that they could turn the tides to their favor and make it out of this conundrum alive. It was pretty clear that she'd need to speak first if she wanted to break the silence so she decided to go with a basic question to get it started. She had been unconscious when she got tied up so there was a chance that Kassandra knew more than she had shared.

"Where do you think we're headed?" She asks, breaking the now tense silence.

"I wish I knew, but I'm at a loss." Kassandra admits. "I can hear bits from above us, but all I know is that we'll be down here for a few days at the least."

"Days?!" Kyra could hardly believe it. Not only were they held hostage, but being on this ship for days with the unlikeliness of food or water was not something she wanted to think about. "This is awful. What are we going to do?"

"We? Kassandra repeated confounded. "No. _We_ are not going to do anything." The sharpness of Kassandra's voice caught her off guard as the words that she spoke sounded defeated. Sounding like she's already resigned herself to their fate and that did not sit well with Kyra. 

"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing while we wait to be executed now can we?" It was more rhetorical than anything so when Kassandra spoke back to her, she was stunned.

"I think you've done quite enough for the both of us lately."

Kyra's eyes go wide at Kassandra's bold statement and she can't help but feel angry initially at her insinuation. Kyra knew she had messed up, but to hear Kassandra speak to her like this hurt her. Maybe she misread the tone and it was a mistake.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Kassandra didn't miss a beat.

"Did you forget that we're only here because of you? We are here in this dank and musty cage because you didn't listen to me and acted like a malaka. It was dumb and reckless and you could've been killed! What were you even thinking? Just running in like that? Oh, that's right, you didn't. It's like rational thoughts are a thing of the past and all you care to do is be impulsively stupid. Did you not even think for a second that what you did could've been a bad idea? If I hadn't have handed myself over so easily, they would have killed you on the spot! Do you not realize this? Gods... just fucking think!"

Kassandra has never spoken to her like that. Ever. So to be on the receiving end of such a scalding lecture now was unpleasant to say the least. Kassandra was furious with her and rightly so. She had been so fucking stupid that she cannot blame Kassandra for her anger and she would just take it because that's what she deserves. 

She is grateful that she cannot be seen because she cannot control her emotions right now and she can't help but shed some silent tears. Her eyes clenched tight, she tries to take steadying breaths to gain back control. She rarely ever lost it and she didn't intend to start now, no matter how much it hurt.

Kyra hears Kassandra clear her throat, a telltale sign that she was going to speak again. Kyra wished she wouldn't because she could only take so much before she would crack.

"Kyra... I- I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way."

An apology was the last thing she expected to hear, but here they were. Kassandra's words seemed genuine, but Kyra wasn't ready to say anything so she keeps her mouth shut.

"Kyra, please, say something."

"What would you like me to say?" A safe enough answer she thinks and vague enough that she doesn't need to explain.

"I don't know, but you must have something to say to me after all that. Be mad, be angry, be something! I can't take the silence."

It was another apology of convenience, something Kassandra is famous for with her. Only when she becomes uncomfortable does she bother to say anything. Guess she should be surprised by this anymore since some things clearly never change. 

Fine. If Kassandra wanted an acknowledgment so bad, she'd give it. "I don't have anything I want to say to you right now Kassandra, but if it will help relieve your conscious, I'm not angry or mad at you."

"How can you not be? I said some very hurtful things to you that I shouldn't have."

Her words were true, but Kyra would not ever admit the extent to how much they hurt. "Nothing you said was wrong, so there's nothing I could be mad at. Everything you said was right."

"No, no Kyra it wasn't. I wasn't right."

"Enlighten me then," she challenges, "just what part of what you said wasn't accurate?" Kassandra hesitates and that was all she needed to hear. "Exactly like I thought. Don't insult me by changing your mind now, I know you meant every word."

The last thing she wanted was for Kassandra to lie to her. She had said what she said and Kyra knows every word was meant and if she took it back now, it would change nothing. The damage had already been done and Kyra had felt the brunt of her words.

"Regardless of if I meant it or not, it wasn't right for me to say it. I could've handled it differently, but I let my emotions get the best of me which is exactly what happened with you." Kassandra pauses, but not nearly long enough for Kyra to weigh what had just been said before she continues on. 

"You care so much that it blinded your better judgment, much like my outburst now. It doesn't change the fact that it happened, but we can change how we react to it and learn from it so it doesn't happen again. I know I'm also guilty of harboring poor thoughts about you and this situation so I'm trying to be as honest as I can be, but I overstepped the mark. I can't take back what I said anymore than you can take back what you did, but we can try to figure it out, together, if you're willing."

Kyra found herself at a loss for words because she had never once prepared herself for Kassandra to take ownership like this. It's not that she didn't own up to her faults for the most part, but never to this extent and never this well thought out. For as silver tongued as she was, when it came to the two of them, she was not nearly as suave as wants to believe. Her explanations are choppy at best, but this... this was heartfelt and purely genuine. It was what she had asked from Kassandra for so long and now that she had it, she's not sure what to do with it. What should make things less complex only further complicates the matter.

All Kyra had been trying to do since she regained consciousness was analyze everything and just when she felt like she had a good handle, something else happened to make her question it. Kassandra's outburst, this confession, each adding a new and contrasting element she needed to figure out. It was overburdening and she couldn't help but cry at the pressure she had placed upon herself.

She knew Kassandra was waiting for some sort of answer so she gave the best she should. "I-... I don't know. I will need to think about it."

"Whatever you need to do." Kassandra assures instantly. "We'll be here for a while so you've got until we arrive if that's what you wish. You don't have to say anything to me if you don't want to."

"It's not that, Kassandra," she corrects, "it's just that this is all so much to process. You striding back into my life, us acting like nothing had ever happened, like old times, and then everything with your brother... it is just a lot to deal with and I've never had the chance to process it."

She hoped this would be enough because that's the best she could do for the time being.

"Oh. Well, now that you say it like that, I do see your point. That's quite the few couple days."

The relief she felt that Kassandra understood her plight and is willing to give her time was just what she needed to hear, but with everything happening to the both of them, it does bring a thought to her mind. Time was surely not on their side, but Kassandra didn't seemed too fazed by this ordeal. Sure, she got mad at her for it happening, but Kassandra has not really aired any grievances so far. It made Kyra wonder if she was even half as worried as she was.

"I have to ask, how are you so put together? I mean, other than yelling at me. You're acting like we're not about to die whereas that's all I'm thinking about. How do you do it? Are you genuinely not afraid?"

"Of course I am afraid Kyra, I would be daft to not be. These people, Alexios, they all wish us harm so I am rightly concerned for our fates."

"Even when you were speaking..." Kyra trails off in search of the right word, "...poorly, about me and how we got here, you still didn't mention yourself. You told me that I could've been killed, but you never talked about yourself coming to harm. It made me think you weren't concerned about your livelihood."

"I can assure you that I am quite concerned for the both of us, but you were- _...are, _you are my first priority."__

__"But why?"_ _

__"It's because I-"_ _

__A loud bang erupts from above them, cutting Kassandra off before she can finish. It is followed by two more loud bangs and yelling before silence stretches once again._ _

__"Kyra, I lo-"_ _

__"WATCH OUT!"_ _

__A shout from above them cuts Kassandra off again and shortly after the interruption, the hatch slam as Alexios and another man walks up with a torch to look in on them._ _

__"Hope you've enjoyed your stay so far, you'll be spending a lot of time in a cell for the foreseeable future." Alexios taunts them and Kyra just wants to wipe the smug look off his face. He may be Kassandra's brother, but her fist had a destiny with his face._ _

__"You," He points to Kyra, "the Eagle Bearer's sidekick. Get up. I want to have a word with you."_ _

__"Don't you fucking touch her!" Kyra hears Kassandra shout as the other man grabs her roughly by the hair, tugging at her to rise._ _

__The angle in which her hands were connected was quite painful and him jerking her up sent a rippling pain coursing through her arms. He used one hand to keep his death grip near her scalp and the other cut her binds with a knife. It only confirmed what she thought about the knots as she had tried to wiggle her way out of them, but they were expertly tied._ _

__Once he was able to get her loose, he all but dragged her forward and she didn't dare make an attempt to free herself. If she failed to escape, or if she fled but Kassandra remained, it would only mean certain death for Kassandra and Kyra would not ever put her at risk like that. So for now she would behave and take this opportunity to recon their surroundings for a better plan of attack._ _

__They take her back the way they came and to her surprise, they ushered her above deck. Unfortunately, it was now the dead of night and visibility was at a minimum. The only benefit she had was that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness so she could see the silhouettes of the rest of Alexios' crew and the sheer lack of land around them._ _

__This was a very bad sign as it meant they were most likely headed one of two directions. The first being south west as that's where the islands got the most sparse of both land and inhabitants or they were in just enough of a gap to the north east. She's not sure why it mattered as she knew not of their motives, but she was at least semi confident it'd be in one or two regions. There appeared to be no other ships around them either. This was probably intentional, taking the most obscure path with the least amount of resistance._ _

__Kyra didn't have the luxury of gazing anymore as she was tossed into a tent at the stern of the ship, lit by a single torch. The area was small, but decently secluded and there was but a lone chair to occupy the space. She took the hint and sat down, only to be tied to the chair itself. The knots were definitely not the same as she had before because she could easily loosen these if she wanted to. It wasn't knowledge she could act on, but it was good intel for later._ _

__Alexios whispered something to the man that she couldn't hear before he took off, leaving her alone with him. She's taken the opportunity to deem this man as Alexios' lapdog as their similarities were striking in a multitude of ways. He had this crazed glint in his eye that honestly unnerved her, like a rabid dog. A man unhinged was dangerous and she wasn't sure what was in store for her, but she knew it would not be pleasant. He looked at her in a special way that only a man can._ _

__Predatory._ _

__Something was not right with this man and it became very apparent how much joy he garnered from her discomfort. He would just stare at her, unblinking, for several minutes in a row. His eyes seemed to be darker than a man's should be and maybe it was the lack of light, but Kyra would swear that there was a carnal gleam to them. He would inch his way closer to her, stalking her, before retreating back into the corner to just keep staring. Kyra isn't sure if she'd just prefer the beating at this point, but she wouldn't have to wait long for a comparison._ _

__After ages of this weird mind game, the lapdog backhanded her so hard that the momentum caused her chair to tip over backwards. She lands hard on her already pained arms and grunts out in agony. She hadn't meant to be vocal, but she couldn't help it._ _

__The lapdog grabs a fistful of her peplos and drags her back so that she's sitting upright._ _

__"Can't have you alerting the boss to what we're up to here." He says as he gags her with a thick cloth that he takes off his belt. "I want to make the most out of our time together so be a good girl and be quiet."_ _

__The taste of the cloth was putrid and it could be compared to taking a sip of condensed sweat. She wanted to be sick, but with the gag tied tight, she'd be worse off than she is now and it was already bleak._ _

__"I've got to tell you, I don't know why we haven't just killed the two of you yet." The man confides in her. "Oh well, guess that just means you and I will have more time together. Maybe I could even convince them to let me keep you as a pet. Wouldn't you like that?"_ _

__He hovered right in front of her face as he said this, all that crossed Kyra's mind was that she'd rather die than ever touch this man in any way other than violently. Not missing the opportunity, Kyra launches her head forward to headbutt the man right in his nose._ _

__"You bitch!" He growls at her as he punches her hard in the stomach. "I'm going to make you wish you were dead by the time I'm finished with you."_ _

__Kyra wants to react, but the pain in her ribs made her think otherwise. They may not be broken, but she knew that they would be bruised something fierce by tomorrow. Instead, she braces herself for what she knows will follow. Hit after hit she endures until the pain becomes a constant over her entire body and she has to go into her mind or risk succumbing to the desire for death. In her time of desperation, her mind reaches out for her safe space as she closes her eyes._ _

__Kassandra._ _

__As Kyra opens them, she's met with a vision she's dreamed of multiple times. She watches as she and Kassandra lounge on the beach, tangled up in one another as the waves lap at their feet. Not a care in the world and no responsibilities. They can just exist with one another and enjoy in the time they have together in each other's arms._ _

__Kyra blinks and the vision in front of her shifts and distorts until it becomes something different entirely. She's now been transported to a house overlooking the waters on Mykonos as she could recognize her home anywhere. Kyra doesn't recognize the house though, but the view she can see from the balcony is breathtakingly beautiful. She feels arms snake around her waist and she knows it to be Kassandra immediately. She could smell a scent that was distinctly hers and it always brought her such calmness. Kassandra pulls her body flush into her chest, nuzzling her nose just behind Kyra's ear. They don't speak, but Kyra knows they don't have to._ _

__As she turns to give Kassandra a kiss, a sense of recognition strikes her. She didn't know how, but she knew this was their house together. She could see their bed and a blend of their items mixed with a perfection that suited them. It brought a smile to her face and she looked back to Kassandra who plastered a similar smile as she brought their conjoined hands up between them to give her knuckles a kiss. That's when Kyra saw something new, a ring fitting perfectly on her right ring finger. There was no mistaking this for what it was and that meant that Kassandra was her wife._ _

__Overwhelmed by the significance, Kyra closes her eyes and when they open again, she's now standing on the roof at Kassandra's house in Sparta. The yard is empty, but she can hear multiple voices beneath her. She looks down to see Kassandra exiting the house with a young girl eagerly following beside her and an even younger boy trailing gleefully behind them._ _

__Kyra watches as Kassandra gives the girl a long wooden stick and the two begin to parry as the boy just runs around them like he's trying to join but doesn't quite grasp the concept. The young girl seems to be a natural at this and actually manages to get a hit off on Kassandra. Kyra covers her mouth to suppress the unexplained love that feels ready to burst from her heart when she is spotted by Kassandra and the young girl._ _

__Kassandra and the girl give her a wave to which she responds back, noting that the ring is still on her hand._ _

__"Did you see me ma? I got mater!" The girl beams with pure joy and Kyra couldn't believe what she just heard._ _

__The girl called her ma and Kassandra mater which means... they were her children. She and Kassandra had two beautiful children. It was something that she'd never allowed herself to think much on because she knew better than to get her hopes up, but now that she's seen it, there's nothing she wants more._ _

__Kyra cannot stand back and just watch any longer so she jumps down from the roof and is greeted by a running hug from the two kids. Kyra crouches down to their level and the moment they connect, she knows in her heart that these are her children and she loves them more than anything else in this world. She scoops them up so they're each on one hip and she walks towards Kassandra who looks at her with such love and adoration that her breath catches. Kassandra doesn't hesitate in cupping her cheeks and kissing her with a passion that knocks the wind out of her. Kassandra also gives a kiss to each of their children and Kyra didn't think it was possible to feel anymore love than she did right now._ _

__Kassandra was not only her wife, but she was her life partner and the other mother to their children. She didn't know much of what she saw, but she didn't need to. She knew that this was the future she wanted for herself and Kassandra and she knew that she could never go back. She could not settle for less than this because she would know in her soul that it wasn't what she truly wanted. It also wasn't lost on her that she wasn't in charge of Mykonos any longer or this life and these travels wouldn't be a realization. There was nothing official saying so, but she just knew that part of her life was over and she seemed the better for it._ _

__Kyra's body began to feel heavy and she could feel her tether into this fantasy world breaking. Kassandra and their two kids became nothing but a blur and her body began sinking down into the ground. She tries desperately to grab hold of anything sturdy to fight the pull, but everything she touched seemed to dissolve within her grasp. With one last look of this dream, Kyra's eyes snap open to see the man staring down at her._ _

__"It is rude to just fall asleep like that when we were having such a good time." He steps up towards her and yanks her head back until she's looking up at him. "A man might get the impression that you don't like his company."_ _

__He reels his hand back and Kyra tenses up for the impact, but it never comes. Cracking open the eye that's not swollen shut, she can see an enraged Alexios grabbing his arm. Her vision is partially blurry, but the scowl on his face is reflected well by the light._ _

__"You lay another hand on her and I will rip out your guts with my bare hands. Do you understand me?" His question wasn't a question, but a threat under the guise of one. There was no doubt that Alexios would gut this man if he disobeyed him and he seemed to realize this too as he backs away from the both of them._ _

__Alexios looks her over and she's not sure what he's thinking and (this may be the head injury talking), but he almost looked remorseful. He doesn't touch her and she's not sure why, but she doesn't much care. He orders for another of the men to untie her and bring her back below deck as she was in no condition to speak and he walks away without another word._ _

__Kyra doesn't remember how much pain she feels until she's forced to stand and she can feel her body throbbing. She could use a cold soak followed by a hot bath to help her aching body, but she knew that no such luxury would be provided to her. The man bringing her back seemed to be nicer as he let her set the pace and he didn't berate her when she winced in pain as she made the small step down from the ladder to the floor. She hobbled along much faster than she should've, but she just wanted to be back with Kassandra. He opens the cell door and Kyra does her best to sink back to the floor without much noise and, once settled, the man ties her back up._ _

__A heavy silence sits between them for several minutes before Kassandra finally speaks. "Are you hurt? Did they harm you? I swear to the gods I will kill them if they did anything."_ _

__"I've had worse." She tries to deflect, but a particularly hard jostle from the ship sends a pain to her ribs, causing her to wheeze a bit as she gets herself back in control. "Besides, Alexios actually stopped a more severe beating from the man who dragged me out. It felt personal with him, but I don't know who he is or what his deal was. It's not like I have anything useful to give them anyway and I think Alexios could tell. He's just as perceptive as you are when someone is lying."_ _

__"I am sorry I couldn't stop this from happening. They only want you because of me and they will do what they can to get to me."_ _

__Kyra didn't much care for their reasoning because, so far, she has been the only one to receive any sort of blowback from this ordeal. It's not that she wanted Kassandra to get the same treatment, but she couldn't help but feel a bit sour after the encounter for a multitude of reasons._ _

__"Just forget about it." She warns Kassandra in an offhand manner._ _

__Changing the subject so Kassandra cannot protest, she brings up the last conversation she can recall. "You were saying something before I left, what was it?"_ _

__"What I've been trying to say is-."_ _

__Kyra adjusts herself to a more comfortable position (if that were even possible) as Kassandra speaks and by doing so, Kyra can feel the rope go slack on one of her wrists._ _

__"Wait!" Kyra interjects. "I'm so sorry for interrupting, but I think you'll want to know that I just freed one of my hands."_ _

__"That's great news! Keep trying with the other and then you should be able to untie me. They really went the extra mile to ensure I didn't escape."_ _

__Kyra didn't bother to tell her that they probably shared in the same bindings initially and just focused on getting her left hand free. Her arms felt almost numb at this point so getting her fingers to do much of anything was a chore, but with some luck, she was able to rid herself of the rope all together._ _

__"Got it!"_ _

__She wasted no time after she was free and was by Kassandra's side as quickly as she could manage. She desperately wanted to free her so that they both would have a fighting chance when the right opportunity arose. It took a little maneuvering as it was still very dark, but Kyra found out quickly that this would be no easy task._ _

__"Your hands are just an inch away from the wall. I won't be able to reach it from the sides."_ _

__Kyra says this more for herself as it means that even her bum hands weren't the problem and that it was just done with enough room to have another set of hands just barely able to work and if she could just get a better angle..._ _

__"Straddle me."_ _

__"Excuse me?" Kyra answers on instinct. Did Kassandra really just say what she thought she did? There's no way._ _

__"To get a better angle, you'll need to straddle me to reach behind me."_ _

__Kyra feels almost disappointed with her clarifying although now was definitely not the time to be thinking of anything related to sex. It could literally not be a worse time for these kind of thoughts, but she'd be a liar if she didn't admit that this affected her anyway._ _

__"Oh, yeah, of course." Kyra fumbles out like she wasn't just thinking about having sex with her right here and now._ _

__She scoots her leg over until her body rests on top of Kassandra's thighs. She keeps in mind their close proximity and does her best to not press much of her weight onto Kassandra, but given how strained her body is, she's not sure how long she could keep it up. Turns out, it wasn't long at all because she'd only been working the knots for about a minute when she just can't hold herself up anymore and she sinks down with some force onto Kassandra's lap._ _

__A moan escapes Kassandra's lips and Kyra's eyes widened at the intoxicating sound, tensing up her body once she realizes that she's the cause of such sound._ _

__"I am sorry. I didn't mean to-" Kassandra tries to apologize, but Kyra didn't want to hear any of it. What she wanted was to hear more sounds from Kassandra as she could forget about all her aches and pains when she had something so delectable to focus on._ _

__Testing her luck, she goes for broke and grinds down on her again (this time purposely) and she's rewarded by yet another moan from the woman beneath her._ _

__"Kyra..." Kassandra growls out and Kyra can feel her lifting her pelvis up to meet with her own. Hearing her name husked out in such a way did unimaginable things to her and she's able to forget all about her problems for the briefest of time._ _

__She trails her hands from Kassandra's waist up to her shoulders until they dangle loosely around her neck. She presses her body just that much closer to Kassandra's and moves her head so that her lips ghost right over her ear. "You know, I've been wanting this since the moment I saw you in my office. How I've missed your touch..."_ _

__Kyra felt emboldened in the dark and, even though her mind is telling her to stop, she just can't resist. The best part is that she can tell Kassandra is very into it too by the way her body is moving and reacting to her touch and her words. She didn't intend for this to happen, but her decision to continue was purposeful._ _

__"Kyra," Kassandra speaks her name again, but Kyra can tell something is off with just how she's saying it, "as much as I love where this is going... I think you should probably untie me as we have bigger things to deal with right now."_ _

__Kassandra was right and, although she was disappointed, she still knew it was the best decision. She just didn't have the willpower in her to stop so at least Kassandra did before they both got too deep. She places a chaste kiss on Kassandra's jaw before she pulls away and settles back on Kassandra's lap. "I suppose you're right. Sit still and I'll have you out in no time."_ _

__She's not sure why she said that when, in all actuality, she'd most likely need something sharp to cut through it. Still, she was going to give it another shot and decided to provide some commentary on the notable difficulty. "They really didn't want you to escape. I've not encountered a knot like this before and nothing I'm doing seems to make a difference."_ _

__The sound of someone stomping on the hatch to enter their area startles the both of them and tethers them back to their current reality. Kyra moves faster than she should given her current condition, but with the looming threat of company, she doesn't have time to coddle her wounds. Once it becomes clear that they were not getting any visitors, she allows herself a frustrated huff._ _

__"Don't be discouraged. If anyone can figure it out, it's you. You're excellent at finding solutions for the impossible and I know you will think of something."_ _

__"Do you- do you mean that?" Kyra doubts the sincerity as Kassandra is known to just say what she wants to hear, but it doesn't make her wish it were any less true._ _

__"I have never meant anything more."_ _

__Kyra believes her as there was no reason for false modesty now. She would not spend her possible last few days alive only to lie about how she's feeling._ _

__"Kyra, I have to say something to you and I need you to listen, and only listen, because I do not want to lose my nerve so I just need to say this all at once."_ _

__This phrasing worries her, but she obliges anyway and what follows is something that rocks her entire world. Kassandra goes on a tangent about her behaviors and her feelings towards her and Kyra was almost in shock by what Kassandra was confessing. She's putting into words everything Kyra had ever asked her to do and then some. They both had tried the relationship angle before and just too much had gone wrong so soon that she didn't honestly ever believe they would recover. They hadn't even gotten off the starting line before they tripped over themselves and just spiraled out of control. But this... this was a solid step in the right direction and maybe, just maybe, they could have a future together after all if they survive._ _

__"...The fact of the matter is that I just love you Kyra, I just love you so, so much."_ _

__Her entire core is shaken as everything she's told herself about Kassandra not loving her was a lie. She had resigned herself to the fact that Kassandra was never going to change and that she would never love her the way she did. The best case scenario they would have, at best, is a semi consistent "friends with benefits" type of relationship._ _

__"I have loved you since that night on the beach when I got to see you with your guard down..."_ _

__Kyra recalls the night fondly as it was when her feelings were confirmed for herself as well. As she'd told Kassandra earlier, she breathes a new life into her and the night on the beach was a culmination of everything wonderful that they are. Just thinking about it brings back every sensation she felt that night._ _

__This whole speech of Kassandra's was almost too good to be true. Actually, it was suspiciously good given their circumstances now that she's thinking about it. The pure elation she was feeling begins to subside rapidly at the mere thought of Kassandra only saying these words because they could die. It would probably hurt more than death itself at this point if her fears were confirmed. She couldn't bear the thought that Kassandra was only saying this for her benefit and not because she meant it._ _

__"Why now?" Kyra needed to know. Why had Kassandra waited until just now to tell her all of this. Why wait until the last possible second to tell her that she loves her... unless.. "Is it because we're probably going to die? Is this why you're telling me this now? I need to know."_ _

__"I actually would have said I loved you earlier, you know? If you hadn't have taken off."_ _

__A likely story, one that puts this delay squarely on Kyra's shoulders._ _

__"I had been waiting for so long, for the right moment that when you asked me, I seized up. I knew then that you wouldn't believe me if I told you and you'd think it was just me saying what you wanted to hear. I knew I needed to prove it to you before you would trust my words."_ _

__Well, she wasn't wrong. Hell, she is skeptical now of just how sincere she was, but at least it appeared that Kassandra knew this and had expected no less._ _

__"I am having a hard time believing you right now and I hope you understand why. Too many times I've fallen for your words of promise and change, only to find out that it isn't true. I want to believe you, but given the circumstances, I find the timing too much of a factor."_ _

__Everything was happening too fast for her to process and it all just overloaded what little clarity she had left. She needed some space from everything so she does the only thing that can give her a semblance of peace. "I think I need to lay down for a bit."_ _

__"I will keep watch and warn you if we have company." Kassandra answers in turn and Kyra knows it won't do much good, but her saying it makes her feel better anyway._ _

__Gingerly she lowers herself to the floor and rests on her right side so that her back is towards Kassandra. She had yet to understand the full weight of just what she did nor did she take the time to note her various injuries and do some self care. She wouldn't sleep anytime soon as her mind was too wired, but she could pretend she was somewhere else when her eyes closed. The darkness became too disorienting and she had to fight the urge to panic and overthink any more than she already was. To break down now was not the answer and she needed to keep it together for a little longer. There were too many unknowns for her to expose herself and be vulnerable like that._ _

__The term overwhelming would be an understatement for how Kyra felt, but she couldn't just tuck her tail and walk away. No. She knows she has to face everything as it came and had to trust in her very shaky mental state to make the right "in the moment" decision. All this overthinking was giving her a headache from Hades. What she wouldn't give for her bed and some water. The lack of food was something she had become accustomed to, but her lips were becoming chapped and her throat was very dry._ _

__She couldn't have been laying down for more than twenty minutes when she hears Kassandra's warning._ _

__"Kyra, get up, someone's going to be coming. I just heard men talking above me."_ _

__Using the bars as leverage, she heaves herself up into a sitting position and no sooner after she sits back up does the sound of the hatch opening fill the room. She quickly wraps the ropes around her hands for appearances sake as the sight of another cultist comes into view._ _

__"For you," The man says plainly as he drops a tray beside each of them, "don't expect any more so I'd make this last."_ _

__He turns away without another word, but before leaving he lights one of the sconces. It's a small gesture, but it allows them some semblance of light before he makes his way back up from the hatch._ _

__"Well, how sweet of a gesture." Kassandra remarks sarcastically. "Our hands are tied behind our back and they expect us to eat. Fucking malakas..."_ _

__It seems they've taken a slight mercy as they not only gave them some light to illuminate what little space they have, but they also gave an olive branch in the form of food of some sort. She doesn't trust the food at all, but she does take the opportunity to view her surroundings. The ship seemed poorly maintained and she wondered who's ship this actually was. If Alexios was even a fraction like Kassandra, he would never allow this wear and tear to the structural support. It's amazing it hasn't just given out already from the rotted wood that holds them. She can't see very far as there's various cargo stacked around them. The only good view they have is a straight line from the cell door to the hatch that leads to the upper deck._ _

__"I don't know about you, but I'm not eating this." Kassandra grumbles as she kicks the food away. "I wouldn't be surprised if those cowards tainted it with poison."_ _

__"I doubt they would go through all this trouble just to kill us with poison, but I could be wrong."_ _

__"Does that mean you're going to eat it?"_ _

__"Of course not, I'm not stupid. It may not be something as potent as poison, but there's a good chance that it will make us sick."_ _

__"I hate this."_ _

__Kyra couldn't agree more as this really was awful, but she didn't want to make Kassandra's mood any worse so she decided to try some optimism. "Look at the bright side, at least you're not alone."_ _

__"You say that like I can actually see you." Kassandra allows a small laugh._ _

__Kyra smiles at the sound, but realizes something shortly after. She must look like a right mess after her "encounter" above deck and Kassandra is going to lose her mind when she sees her. It didn't matter when they had the dark, but Kyra was essentially free and could move into where Kassandra could _actually_ see her._ _

__"You don't need to see me to have my company." Kyra offers a lame excuse to avoid having to show her._ _

__"Maybe not, but it would help ease my despair."_ _

__Kyra could hear the silent plea in her voice and knew that she couldn't avoid dodging this for long as Kassandra would know something was wrong._ _

__"I don't think it will." Kyra comments as she releases her bindings and uses the bars to help her stand up._ _

__"What are you talking about? Of course it will..."_ _

__Kassandra's voice drops entirely as she moves into the light. Kyra watches as Kassandra's face takes a journey through an entire spectrum of emotions. At first, Kassandra cracks a large smile, one reserved for only her, but all too soon the smile fades into a frown. From a frown, her whole face contorts into one of pure rage._ _

__She feels shame for allowing this to happen to herself and she feels the heavy weight of Kassandra's hard stare._ _

__"Kyra..."_ _

__Kassandra's voice comes out so soft that Kyra could barely hear it, but she can hear a strain to it._ _

__"Who did this to you?" Kassandra asks in disbelief. "Was this... was this Alexios?"_ _

__"No. He never raised a hand at me."_ _

__"Who did this?" Kassandra asks again with more force._ _

__"The other man that was with him. It isn't that bad and it barely hurts." Ok, so that was a lie, but she was trying to make Kassandra feel better about it. What's done is done and there's nothing either of them can do to change it now._ _

__"Don't you dare lie to me about this." Kassandra's voice has an edge to it and Kyra couldn't help but visibly wince._ _

__Kassandra notices her flinch and immediately softens. "Gods Kyra, I'm so sorry, please know I'm not mad or angry with you. I jus- I just cannot stand to see you like this and I can't stand how I can't free my fucking hands so I can hold you."_ _

__Kyra wants nothing more than to be wrapped up in her arms so she walks over to her and gently moves to rest on her lap. Unlike before, there was nothing sexual about this as it was a more instinctive need for touch, to have this connection with Kassandra. Her arms hug around Kassandra's waist and her head tucks into the crook of her neck. Kassandra presses her cheek up against her and Kyra pulls her in as tight as she can stand. How she wishes to be embraced by Kassandra's strong arms, feeling the safety she always did, but she would take what she could get. She holds on to Kassandra like her life depends on it._ _

__"Look at me, please." Kassandra requests, whispering softly in her ear._ _

__Kyra doesn't want to let go, but she does so just enough that they are face to face. She looks deeply into Kassandra's eyes and she saw no judgment, just pure and unadulterated love. It puts to rest any doubts she had about Kassandra's love for her because you just don't look at someone like that if they don't mean something to you. She may not be an expert with love, but for the first time in her life, she knew what a look of love looked like. Kassandra was looking at her like she was her whole world and Kyra found herself forgetting about her aches and pains. She is mesmerized by this woman in front of her and she doesn't want to spend any more time denying what she wants._ _

__Cupping Kassandra's face, Kyra can't help but glance down at her mouth. She watches as Kassandra's tongue passes over her bottom lip and that was all the encouragement she needed to look for permission. It was granted immediately as Kassandra leaned forward and connected their lips in the sweetest kiss she could've imagined. Even with split and chapped lips, the energy between them was tender, soft, and inviting. How she had missed kissing Kassandra as it brought to the surface all the good memories they've spent together and it reminded her just how much she loved her._ _

__They take it slow to savor the taste, the feel of each other like they're mapping it to their minds forever. The kisses are lazy and slow, but it is the perfect speed. Her hands move from cupping Kassandra's cheeks to threading her fingers through her hair, digging at the scalp. She was intoxicated with any and everything Kassandra and it was like they were making up for lost time. She never wanted to lose her again._ _

__"I love you." Kassandra says in between kisses._ _

__Kyra disconnects their kiss and rests her forehead against Kassandra's. "I love you too Kassandra and I'm sorry I didn't say it back to you earlier. I just didn't want my heart to break again. I don't think I could take losing you again."_ _

__"You will have me for as long as you want me because I am yours in heart and soul. I love you and only you. You have everything I have to give Kyra and my love is yours to do with what you will. I would walk to the ends of the world for you."_ _


	31. Can't Live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Sorry about missing last weeks update, but I just had a major case of writers block that didn't get resolved until a couple days ago. I had kind of wrote myself into a corner because I have the ending all mapped out, but was too close to it for any major deviation, but I've since figured out what to do and I should be back on track. I will warn that this Sunday may not get an update due to the holidays as it is crazy busy, but I will do my best.
> 
> We get deep in this chapter so brace for it! 
> 
> Karmin - Can't Live  
> https://youtu.be/NaIg7Dqj8u0

All good things must come to an end, the only variance is when it happens. How all it takes is the tiniest of rocks in just the right spot to send you careening off your high horse into the dirt below. You can never truly see it coming until it is too late and, even then, all you can do is brace for the impact if you're lucky.

Kyra wasn't so.

She couldn't make heads nor tails of anything and it seemed to happen overnight. She knew she was getting weaker by the minute, but she couldn't do anything to fix it. The food has long since been removed and since neither of them ate the first batch. They were never offered anything else and this wouldn't have been so bad if not for the fact that Kyra was practically starving herself before any of this happened. She also had a bad habit of not drinking enough water as well which only intensified her deterioration. She had gone into this situation with a handicap and it was taking its toll. For Kyra, this seemed to come in four different stages.

Stage One: Restlessness  
_The inability to remain dormant for a set period of time. The urge to move or act in the face of complacency._

Kyra found herself worse off than even Kassandra as she paced in a small line. Walking back and forth so much that she could have left a nice indent in the wood. It was almost worst that she had this extra taste of freedom and couldn't do anything with it. The only other human contact they'd get were their "meetings" which was nothing more than a show of bravado and always ended poorly for the two of them. 

They had been down here for at least three days at this point and it was driving her mad to be kept in such captivity. Her hunger was beginning to degrade her overall state of mind and she could feel the weakness befalling her body. The man who brought them the food the first time was right, they had not seen a morsel since that initial offering. Water was also something they weren't privy to. The irony wasn't lost on how they were surrounded by water, but none of it drinkable. At least they were allowed bathroom breaks twice a day so there was a minuscule positive. The cons, however, far outweighed the pros.

Each time they were "freed," they'd be surrounded by three or four men and had no privacy for anything. It bothered Kyra at first, but she got used to it real quick as it was either be watched at every move or left to sit in the cell and she craved the fresh air. It would always be brief, but she found she would look forward to those parts of her day more than anything. It was always sad when those moments ended and she was forced back down under. She'd thankfully been gifted with the man who ties awful knots as her guy and she'd been able to get out of all of his restraints so far. She was lucky for that as Kassandra had someone else, someone who always knew what they were doing so she'd not gotten Kassandra freed yet.

She never gave up trying though and, even with an increased movement in her hands, it still was no use. They clearly viewed Kassandra as the much bigger threat and Kyra knew she should be grateful for the lax measures around her, but it only made her pissed off. It meant that they didn't view her as a threat and it bothered her to start with, but she realized rather soon that this could be an advantage. If their focus was on Kassandra, it would mean that she had more of an opportunity to find an opening. 

She would make them regret underestimating her.

Stage Two: Delusional  
_To not be of sound mind or judgment, to see what is not there. Lucidity._

At first, she thought this all Alexios' show, but after a few more of her "meetings" she found out that he was only a hired hand. He put on a good show which is why she believed him to be in charge, but there was another who was pulling all the strings. He had made his presence known after the second time Alexios interfered on her behalf, stopping a more severe beating from occurring. The two of them argued and Alexios was ordered to back down and to stop showing "sympathy" to their prisoners and sent away. Never in a million years did she think that Alexios would be the kindest of them all, but he proved he had some humanity left.

What makes it all the more interesting is that he never showed himself to Kassandra at any time. It was only ever her and it only was when she was in the hands of the lapdog. It baffles her as to why he stepped in, twice, but she was always grateful for it as she knows just how bad it can get. Never in her life has she felt pain like this and it was only by his hands. He was relentless and she found herself alone with him more times than she ever wanted to. Her bruises never got a chance to heal as he would always make sure they were a deep purple before she was done. It got to the point where Kassandra knew by her breathing sounds how poorly it went. 

It had even gotten to the point where they clearly didn't view her as a threat anymore as they ceased in even bothering to tie her up when she was dragged back in because she couldn't walk. She was weak and they knew it. She wanted to be mad at this, but she knew they were right. She hadn't eaten or drank in days and she barely slept. Her mind was too on edge and every loud noise would force her to tense up. Kassandra had tried what she could to calm her, sharing tricks that she used for herself, but it never worked. She spent most of her time with her knees tucked tightly to her chest and her arms resting on top of them cushioning her head. She would sit like this for hours and not make a peep.

She was losing control of herself.

It was like her head was underwater and she only could stare puzzled whenever she knew Kassandra was trying to talk to her. She could see the words being formed, but she couldn't hear them. 

Her mind had made a decision for her and she became too focused on making those who wronged her pay to give a mind to anyone else. The desire for vengeance overtook all rational thought and it was like her body wasn't under her own control anymore. Every action, every word said felt foreign and to make matters worse, she wasn't sure if this was a bad thing. Sure, this was probably questionable morally, but she had burned that bridge long ago so what was stopping her from enacting her swift justice? The sea held no jurisdiction so that makes her judge, jury, and executioner.

The same man who had laid his hands on her had done so to Kassandra in some caliber. How she longs for moment when she can see his expression when he realizes that his life is about to be over. Never before has she elicited such a response towards another human and she had never been witness to the reaction it pulls. She has obviously thought of killing before, but there was something inherently different between killing someone in a battlefield in comparison to a much more personal kill. She did not need to murder this man where she needs to kill in battle. No, this was all a choice and yet, she still made it with the same surprising ease. She did not have to weigh the impact in her mind as the moment she gained the upper hand, his fate was sealed. Only an act of the gods would save this man from his fate and she heard no opposition coming from above.

Stage Three: Withdrawal  
_To pull back from something or something mentally, physically, or both._

The worst part of all of this wasn't the beatings or the lack of food and water, but that she could feel herself withdrawing from Kassandra. She couldn't help it, but it just became so much easier to shut the world off and lose herself in her mind. She knew she was doing it, but she couldn't help it as it made everything bearable. In her mind she could pretend she was anywhere but here and talking to Kassandra only reminded her of the reality that she was in. She knew Kassandra felt the shift, but she hadn't pressed her for anything more than she was already giving. Kassandra took the silence when she spoke, but it never stopped her from talking. Kassandra would converse with her like she was responding to it and pretty much had full conversations on her own. It didn't bother Kyra as it was probably what she needed to do to cope, but she felt the gap grow wider between them each time it happened. 

Kyra had not connected to Kassandra again since their "I love you's" and she knew it was her fault. What should have been a new leaf for the both of them, was tarnished before it ever had the chance to bloom. It was, at first, because of her injuries and it just hurt to be touched, but it grew into something deeper. It's amazing how in only four days, the mind can break itself in pieces and the will to undo all the growth she's made becomes the only thing you can fixate on. For all her preaching’s about honesty, she was proving to be a hypocrite with how she kept this all to herself. Kassandra had tried to get her to open up, but she just can't and she only shuts down, leaving Kassandra in the dark.

By the time the evening of the fourth night rolled around, Kassandra had all but given up in trying to talk to her. Kyra can't blame her for stopping, but she can't seem to find it within herself to speak up to respond. She's not even sure of what to say anymore and was too exhausted to care. Each minute brought her further past the point of no return and she didn't know what would happen once that threshold was crossed. It is funny how losing the most basic of your autonomy can send you in such a downward spiral so abruptly. It felt as though she's been depraved for weeks when it was barely half a week in reality. Punishment took no mercy and she just wasn't as strong as she thought she was. 

Stage Four: Paranoia  
_Your mind and functions become influenced by a manifestation of fear. You cannot trust those around you and what you think you see is never quite what it appears to be._

Where was Kassandra? 

She knew they were together just a moment ago... at least she thought. There was an emptiness she felt immediately and it was haunting. She has no idea what happened to Kassandra and a part of her knew they were probably torturing her, but the fear of worse still stuck in the forefront of her mind. Have they just decided to kill her? The desperation for answers, some semblance of her wellbeing, was all she needed. If anything had happened to Kassandra because of her own actions, she would never be able to forgive herself. She knew Kassandra was against her choices by her blatant defiance, but she just didn't care. The only thing that mattered was bringing all of those malakas to their knees and, in doing so, she risked the most valuable person in her life.

Kassandra, even with her protests, still stuck by her side and followed her into the fray. Kyra had a moment of fixation and Kassandra was left to pay the price of her shortsightedness and it could result in the death of both of them. Hell, at this point that was about the only thing she knew as true. The mystery of not knowing when this was happening made this all worse. It is one thing to know definitively when your time is up, but it is another to have it looming above you.

Every loud sound would send her mind reeling to the worst case scenarios. If someone so much as stepped heavy above them or walked a bit too hard on the hatch, she would instinctively go into an internal panic. It made her wonder if death would be so bad if this was the alternative. Never having another moment of peace and constantly being on alert was not a way she wanted to live anymore. She had done her time when she was in the resistance and it was not something she ever wanted to return to. To make matters worse, it wasn't only the sounds that got to her.

Her mind was playing tricks on her and she felt so watched. It felt like there was someone just out of her line of sight watching her with a fevered interest and tracking everything she did. She could even swear she'd seen the glint of another pair of eyes down below with them. Whenever she told Kassandra about it, she was quick to shut that idea down, but still, Kassandra couldn't see what she could and she just knew there was someone or _something_ lurking in the shadows. It seemed to hit her more when she was alone as, with Kassandra there, she didn't feel as frightened.

It made no sense as it wasn't like Kassandra could save her from anything anyway, but she didn't dwell on it or else the illusion would be shattered. Kassandra was her safety and as long as she had her, she could get through this.

A blood curling scream echoes through the underbelly of the ship and Kyra recognizes the voice as being Kassandra's right away. She sounded like she was in agony and it was a scream done in a such a way that you couldn't just tune out. It sent a chill down her spine and she knew something was definitely wrong.

Kyra goes to rise, but finds her hands inexplicably tied tightly behind her.

"No, no, no, no..." Kyra mutters to herself as she tugs and tugs against the restraints. "You're not supposed to be tied! I was free, you can't be like this."

She continues to thrash against the bindings, but it only makes it worse and she can feel the rope burn as it digs deeper into her wrists.

The screaming only seems to get louder and louder until it comes to an abrupt halt directly above her. Kyra holds her breath, thinking it would help her understand what was happening, but all she can hear is the sound of the waves hitting against the side of the ship. Another chill down her spine at the implication and she also can noticeably feel the temperature dropping. She's now able to see her breath (which should be impossible) and the wood in front of her is frosting.

A cracking sound of the hatch being torn off its hinges hit her and a feeling of pure dread washes over her. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

Heavy footsteps trudged their way closer to her and she knew she was at the mercy of who ever was on the other side of the cell door. The jingle of keys and the clank of the lock clashing against the bars was all that she could hear and she braced herself for what was to come, but she never expected it to be someone so familiar.

Kyra watched as Kassandra walked into the middle of the cell, completely covered in blood. She also noticed how the blood appeared to freeze upon its impact with the floor. None of this made any sense, but Kassandra was here with her again and seemed to be in one piece.

"What in the world happened to you? Where is everyone else?" Kyra desperately wants answers, but Kassandra only looks at her with a blank stare.

"You're scaring me. Please, talk to me." Kyra pleads, but it is to no avail. 

Kassandra only continues to look at her hauntingly before she shifts her attention to where she was tied up. She walks directly up to where she was held and she gives a tentative kick to the exterior of the ship.

Kyra is now fully baffled at what she's watching and no matter what she says, Kassandra doesn't pay her any mind. Instead, Kassandra continues to kick at the outer layer of the ship until she's able to crack the wood. A small spray of water begins to fill their cage, but Kassandra doesn't stop. Targeting the same spot over and over, she continues until the spray begins to gush.

"Kassandra, stop! Are you mad? We will drown if you don't stop!" Kyra yells, but Kassandra doesn't relent and continues to kick over and over. 

The water begins to pour in at an alarming rate and Kyra can feel the water starting to pool beneath her. She can only watch as it travels from her feet, up her legs, until Kyra can feel the water at her finger tips. Once the board completely shatters, Kassandra picks a nearby plank and repeats the destruction.

Kyra desperately tries to free her hands, but the rope is still way too tight and the icy cold water that keeps hitting her fingers aren't helping. She scrambles to get a footing to lift herself off the floor and is able to shimmy up until she's fully standing. Not that it does much good as the water is now up to their knees, but Kassandra shows no sign of slowing down. 

"Kassandra, please... untie me before it is too late."

Nothing.

"Kassandra!"

Still nothing.

The water is now a heavy stream and the water is at their waste which provides just enough pressure that Kassandra has to stop. She turns towards Kyra, sparing her a parting glance, before she wades her way back to the door. Kassandra pulls it open and Kyra knows she means to leave her here to let her drown.

"Don't you dare you son of a bitch!" Kyra yells as Kassandra closes the door behind her, locking Kyra inside so that even if she were to get free, she'd be trapped still.

The water is now just below her neck and she stretches herself as tall as she can possibly get to get a few more breaths. She was out of luck and out of time. With her last breath, she screams her final words before the icy water engulfs her.

"KASSANDRA!" 

Kyra jerks awake, drenched in a cold sweat. She scans her surroundings frantically and is relieved to see that there's no water in sight. Her hands were not bound and Kassandra was still tied across from her. 

None of it was real.

She didn't remember falling asleep nor did she recall just how long she'd been out. Being under the floorboards really has a way of disorienting a person, but everything felt so real. She could _feel_ the icy water numbing her inch by inch as it overtook her body. She holds her hands in front of her and she can see them shaking. Clenching them both into fists, she tries to calm them, but even tightly squeezed she cannot stop the shake.

"Kyra? Kyra, what happened?" Kassandra asks frantically.

What did happen? She couldn't tell fact from fiction anymore and it only seemed to get worse. It wasn't anything she could grasp, at least not yet. 

"Are you alright?"

Was she alright? The answer was a clear and definitive no. She was the furthest thing away from alright. Her mind, body, and soul were broken and all that was left is this husk of a shell she's in now. There was no point in trying to pretend as Kassandra was always far too clever for her own good.

"I- I don't think so."

"Talk to me, tell me what is wrong." Kassandra pleads with her and the penance for silence seems to have disappeared.

"I think I'm losing my sense of reality." Kyra looks over to Kassandra to see her face full of concern. "I am seeing things and feeling things that aren't here and I don't know how to make it stop."

"How long has this been happening?" Kassandra asks.

"I think two days now, but I'm not sure. I've lost all sense of time being down here. I know it sound crazy, but I just don't know down from up, at least I don't think I do."

"Do you think you're in that now or do you think this is real?" 

"I haven't decided yet. It usually starts off normal before something terrible happens and then I wake up."

Kyra waits for Kassandra to tell her to calm down and that it's all in her head. She waits to be dismissed because that's all she deserves, but what comes is far greater than she'd have ever hoped for.

"How can I help you? What do you think I could do to prove that I am real and that you're here with me?"

The relief of being believed was overwhelming and as easily as Kassandra could've shut her down, she didn't. It appeared that she wanted to help her and even if Kyra couldn't trust herself, she would always trust Kassandra.

"Tell me something that you've never told me before. Something that I know I couldn't fabricate in my own mind."

"So like a story?"

"Yes."

"Um, ok, let's see..." Kassandra trails off, appearing deep in thought. "Ah! I've got one. Have I ever told you that I won the Battle Of One Hundred Hands and foiled a cult coup at the same time?"

Kyra gives it a brief thought, but cannot recall her ever mentioning this. "No, I don't think you have. Can you tell me about it?"

Kassandra sits a bit taller, a prideful gesture, and clears her throat. "Let me preface this with the request that you won't get mad at me."

"Why would I be mad at you? What did you do?"

"Just... you'll see, but I need your word you're not going to be mad."

"I don't like to agree to what I don't know, but I promise I will at least consider your request."

"Good enough for me."

Kassandra smiles at her and Kyra could feel a sense of normalcy returning with their banter. It helped her calm down and kept her present and active. She had missed talking with Kassandra like this and she's not even sure of why she ever stopped. She wanted to believe that what she was experiencing was real, but she needed more to go on before she was sure. She had asked for a story because there was a certain air about Kassandra when she told one. Her eyes would have this intensity and her body would move as she animatedly told her tales. Kassandra was a bit more restrained than usual, but Kyra was confident she could still tell the difference between the real Kassandra and someone she had conjured up.

"It all started by accident as I was just exploring the other islands when I found myself on Melos. There's not a whole lot going on there, but I did happen to stumble on it at the right time. I happened upon a man, Drakios, who was in charge of the entire event. Apparently there is a battle that is held there where warriors and fighters from all of Greece come to prove they are superior. Once he explained to me what the event entailed, I knew I had to participate."

"What kind of an event was it?" Kyra interrupts. "Was it a hand to hand combat or weapons? Was it an elimination?"

"Weapons and you could call it an elimination of sorts."

"Of sorts? It either is or it isn't."

"It was an elimination so, yes you got "eliminated," but it was permanently, as in dead."

"And you just had to put yourself into a death match?"

"I knew I would win."

"Of course you would think that."

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Kassandra raises a brow as if to challenge her to rebuke. 

When Kyra doesn't offer a counter, Kassandra smiles in what she must take as a tiny victory. "That's what I thought."

Kyra could sense the smugness radiating from her and it felt very authentic. Kassandra was many things, but she never was modest when it came to the battlefield. When Kassandra told her a few other tales when they first met, she found it almost impossible to believe, but as she got to know her it proved to be spot on. 

"Was that what I was going to be mad at? You tossing yourself into the fray with reckless abandon?"

"Uhhhhh, no." Kassandra drags out. "You'll definitely know it when you hear it."

"Fair enough, please continue."

"Anyway, so I obviously wanted in on such an event, but Drakios told me that I needed to prove myself and that I had to train with a sanctioned competitor so they could vouch for me. I could have bribed him with a hefty pouch of drachmae, but I had time on my hands so I accepted his terms. I found myself sailing to Hydrea to train before I went back to Melos where I fought ninety nine others until only two of us remained, the trainer and myself. We got taken to a special area where we had to fight to the death, but I convinced them to join my crew and, by doing so, I unraveled a plot of the cult against me. Turns out Drakios worked for the cult and the meet up was an ambush. I not only won the coveted title of the champion, but I killed several cultist scum too."

"Hold on now," Kyra interjects, "it seems like you're glossing over your training. You can't tell me you went to train and just not tell me what you did and cut right to the end."

"I just did the basic things, super boring." Kassandra deflects and Kyra could tell there was more to the story.

"Humor me. I don't have your worldly perspective." She requests, but can see Kassandra is still hesitant. Kyra puts a small pout on her face, her secret weapon, and adds the surefire way to get Kassandra to tell her. "Please?"

Kassandra looks at her, knowing exactly what she's doing, but she doesn't resist it (and she never has). "Fine, fine, just don't look at me like that."

Kyra's pout wipes away instantly as she finds herself leaning forward to hear more of what Kassandra didn't want to tell her.

"I met with this trainer and they tested me in three different ways. The first was archery, the second was clearing out a pack of wolves from the area, and the third was a race. I easily won."

"Does this trainer have a name?"

"Yes."

"And it is...?" Kyra draws out, encouraging Kassandra to fill in the blank.

"Roxana. Roxana of Hydrea."

Why did Kassandra not just say that? What's so bad about this woman unless...

"You slept with her, didn't you?"

The question was more rhetorical than anything as Kyra didn't need a verbal confirmation because Kassandra's face said it all.

"I did, yes."

Kyra wasn't so daft as to think that Kassandra had not been with other women, but it never sat well with her regardless. It wouldn't matter if this Roxana was from the past, she didn't like it. The only thing she needed to know was when this happened as there was always a chance of it being those months they spent apart.

"When was this?" Kyra desperately needed to know, but she didn't want to appear too jealous.

"She was before I met you."

Hmm, still not something she wanted to hear, but at least it was before her. It did make Kyra curious to just how many women Kassandra had ever been with. It was not something they've ever talked about before as it never felt like the right moment, but now was perfect to broach the subject. Kassandra couldn't run from this so there would be no better opportunity.

"How many women have you been with?"

Kassandra coughs a few times, clearly caught off guard by the question. "What? Why does that matter?"

Kyra was not going to back down from it as she knew Kassandra was deflecting. "It matters to me, I'm just curious."

She watches Kassandra's jaw tense before it loosens a few times. This must be a sore subject because she's never seen Kassandra like this before. She could feel the agitation coming from her and she could just change her mind and back down, but she was confident that this was her Kassandra now and that she wasn't dreaming. Anything they talked about now would be real.

"I don't- I don't have a number."

"Not even a guess?"

"Honestly, no."

This meant the number was either really low or really high and given that she knew who was in front of her, she'd bet the latter. Gods, now she wished she'd never asked because this newfound knowledge didn't make her feel any better. It meant she was only a speck in Kassandra's long list of names and she now understood why she was so hesitant to commit to her. Kassandra had probably barely even known these women's names, yet alone see them more than once. For a track record like that, she had to rotate through them pretty quick.

"Does this bother you?" Kassandra genuinely asks.

"Yes." Kyra answers right away. 

It definitely does bother her, but at the same time, Kassandra is here with her now. Curse her jealousy, but it hard to compete with a limitless number of women of both her past and those who will be available to her in the present.

"How about you?" Kassandra asks her the same question. "I'm sure you've seen your fair share."

"Three." Kyra answers immediately, not having to think about it.

"Only three? You must be joking, there's no way." Kassandra scoffs.

Kyra doesn't bother to defend herself as she knew it was true. She knew it was hard to believe given how flirtatious she is to everyone, but it is just who she is. It takes a special connection for her to want to take it to the next step.

"I find it hard to believe Kyra," Kassandra says as she shakes her head, "I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous and you must have had all the townspeople lining up at your door."

"I am more than just a pretty face, Kassandra. Believe it or not, I don't just toss myself in bed with who ever decides to breathe my direction."

Was it a dig at Kassandra's earlier confession? Absolutely. Was it the mature choice? Absolutely not.

"Who else was there besides Thaletas and myself then?"

"I had dated a man who died in a fishing accident shortly after our one year of courting when I was younger and, after that loss, I just had no desire to be with anyone until I met you and Thaletas."

"Wait, wait, wait, so before me you'd never been with a woman?"

"Nope, you were the first."

"No way." Kassandra says dumbfounded. "No way, no way, no way... Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I have? I was afraid it would scare you away and I can see now that I was right to be wary."

"It's not that, Kyra, I promise. I have been many women's firsts with another woman so that wouldn't have discouraged me in the slightest. I just would have done more to make it special for you. I just assumed you knew what was happening."

"It's not all that different from being with a man to an extent if I'm honest. There's a purpose of release, but the journey to get there just varies a bit. I just thought about what I enjoyed when I was by myself and acted on it."

Kyra didn't have much mutual experience, but she'd spent enough time alone to get acquainted with herself and logic stands to reason that if it works for her then chances are it'll work for Kassandra.

"I never would have known had you not just told me." Kassandra confesses. "I would have considered you an expert."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Why did you change your mind with me?" Kassandra questions her and it was a good one question at that as she's asked herself the same thing.

"I felt something with you that I've never felt with anyone else. For the first time in my life, when you were near me I felt safe. Thaletas had tried to me feel like that, but it was only natural with you and I don't even think you were trying. Once I knew you weren't a threat, I felt a tug towards you that I couldn't explain. I didn't know how yet, but I knew you would be special to me."

"I didn't realize, I'm sorry. I hope you don't think less of me for the fact that I have a lot of past... _experience."_

"I will admit, it is a bit..." Kyra pauses for the right word, "shocking, but I think it's something that I already knew deep down. I have eyes and I'm sure you've met lots of women like me and given them something to remember for life. I never believed I was ever the only one."

"You're the only one that matters." Kassandra answers firmly, staring deep into her eyes.

Kyra can feel the weight of her gaze and does her best to sit still under it. When Kassandra wanted to make a point stick, she knew how to turn on her charm. "You don't need to try to flatter me by saying that, you already have my heart in your hands anyway."

"I do not aim to flatter you because that would indicate that I had ulterior motives for why I said what I did. No, no, I said it because it is true. I may have seen my fair share of women, but none were ever you."

Kyra no longer can take the intensity and turns her cheek until Kassandra is only in her peripheral. She had not intended for this to get this heavy, but with how open Kassandra is willing to be, she finds herself in for a surprise.

"You can look away from me, but that doesn't make what I'm telling you less true. I know I have a reputation for being a womanizer more or less, but that all changed once I met you."

"Is that so?" Kyra asks in disbelief, her eyebrow raised in light suspicion.

"It is true." Kassandra defends. "Ever since we've been together, I've been with no other."

"Well, usually relationships are monogamous by default, although we've never quite been traditional."

"You forget that we never were in a relationship until much later and, even then, it didn't last very long."

"I'm talking about the very moment our paths crossed again until now. There has never been another in my bed."

A sense of relief washes over Kyra at Kassandra's assurance. It would have broken her heart to know that Kassandra was with another while they were apart. She would have known when they were traveling together, but there were almost five months unaccounted for. It makes Kyra believe that there was still hope for a future for them, a chance to start again. This meant that Kassandra had made an active effort for them, for her. It made Kyra think about her dreams and what she pushed as only dreams could possibly become a reality.

"Do you remember asking me about if I saw myself as a wife?" Kyra questions, slightly shifting topics.

"I do, yes."

"I had told you yes initially, but that I had changed my mind since. You asked me what changed when I said I was unsure and I never gave you an answer. Do you want to know why?"

"Of course I would."

"You. You are why I changed my mind" Kyra confesses. She never thought she'd ever share this with Kassandra, but in the whirlwind of emotional sharing it felt like the perfect time.

"I don't understand" Kassandra states confused, seemingly lost on where Kyra was going with this.

"I had always seen myself having a life partner and children until I met you and, from how I knew you to be, I knew from then on that it was never going to happen for me because I chose you. The moment we crossed that line together on the beach, you were it for me. As much as I may have wanted such a life, you just weren't that person and you never would be. I knew you would never fit into how I had envisioned my future so I let it go. I no longer wanted to think about settling down because I knew if I did that, it would mean you were no longer in my life and it wasn't something I could bear. You could easily have anyone you wanted and I knew that if I wanted to have a chance of keeping your attention, that I could never push for more. I love you, Kassandra, and that means I will sacrifice what I want for you."

The emotional release allows her to unload her deepest fears and no matter what happens now, she can rest easier knowing that all of her cards have been shown. She didn't know how much this all burdened her until she said it and there was no taking it back now. Everything was in Kassandra's hands and it was her and her alone that would decide what to do with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah everyone!


	32. I Got You (Pieces)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm late, but I hope you all find it in your hearts to forgive me and, to sweeten the deal, I give you a 10k update! I'm really trying to hit 300k overall so I'm trying to put a lot more into what I write. As much as I'd love to promise Sunday's, I may need to just kind of wing the schedule so I can hit it. Don't you worry though, I'm not going anywhere and it won't be weeks at a time 😊
> 
> Depending on when you read this, I've not bothered to proofread as I'm so tired (it is 3:30am), but I wanted to get this to you asap since you've waited so patiently.
> 
> Notable vocab: Agapi mou - My love
> 
> Karmin - I Got You  
> https://youtu.be/15ICwXf1Duo

How unfortunate and cruel the world can be, having no rhyme nor reason for anything it ever does. The most deserving of ethereal punishments walk like they have no fear of the gods or their own mortality, like they're untouchable. All the while the people who are undeserving of such fates feel the wrath of the gods firsthand and cannot seem to catch a break. How can one believe so faithfully in the gods when the innocent carry such heavy burdens while the scum gallivants without a care? The poor only seem to get poorer while the rich get richer, what kind of just god would allow such a thing?

Faith was all anyone really had, but how much of it was just a projection? To believe in the gods meant that one could atone for anything they did and that they would more or less be saved, but some actions should never be forgiven. Some people are just full of an evil that cannot be washed away with a prayer. If the gods would not punish these people, she would. Her path is not one of a righteous nature, but she only kills those who deserve it and right now, that mean every single soul on this ship.

Kassandra could only sit and watch as Kyra all but unraveled in front of her. She didn't want to say much as she didn't want to make it worse, but it was clear that Kyra was not well. It's not like she was faring all herself, but she wasn't already weary. Kassandra wasn't stupid and she easily connected the dots to Kyra's rapid decline with her lack of self care before this all happened. Kyra was too proud a woman to take what others couldn't have so she would never have allowed herself to indulge when the people she cared for suffered. Her bleeding heart was something Kassandra loved about her, but it could not have come at a worse time.

It was little things at first that tipped her off that something wasn't right. Kyra wasn't a nervous energy kind of person so the fact that she couldn't sit still was a bit alarming. It was just small twitches at first or her scratching at the floorboards below them, but it soon seemed to spiral into her incessantly pacing enough so that she could see the tread marks if she looked close enough. It is understandable to want to move around, but there was a difference between doing so out of boredom and doing it from a necessity. 

Kassandra was envious of her freedom at first, but the more space Kyra seemed to get, the worse off she became. At least being rooted to a spot left little say in what you could do so there was never the urge for more. Still, she always enjoyed the time when they were brought to the surface (always separately, of course) as it gave her a chance to figure out where they were. She had a common knowledge of many places, but there were only a few she could recognize from a distance. Unfortunately, she never saw any islands to help her pinpoint where they were and Kyra wasn't much use either. 

Her head seemed to be in the clouds and whenever she would come back, she would retreat further and further away. It got to the point where it was getting more depressing by Kyra's demeanor than the sheer lack of information she was getting on each trip to the surface. The cultists even took note of how Kyra was behaving and it was bad enough that they didn't even bother trying to restrain her in any way whenever they got moved around. What Kassandra had originally thought was a smart tactic on Kyra's end was no act at all. Kyra really was just so disconnected that she really wasn't a threat. 

It felt like Kyra just went through the motions as she repeated the same ineffective things. Instead of trying to find a way out, she would just huddle herself on the floor with her back to Kassandra. She made no effort to find a weapon or anything really that could help them, but at least she always tried to free her. That was always Kyra's first move when they were left alone, but everything that followed was a waste of time. Kassandra fought the urge to scold her for her lack of urgency because she knew this wasn't her Kyra anymore. Everything she said from here on out would need to be very carefully considered.

It's not like Kyra even gave her the time of day anymore to begin with. Far too often she would find that her only conversation partner was herself. She'd gotten to the point where she would just have pretend conversations with herself to help pass the time since Kyra made it clear that she didn't want to participate. Kassandra felt herself being tested time and time again, but she would no longer be the person she used to be. Kyra was clearly not within her right mind so she probably wasn't even aware she was being so cold. It's what made the time they did have together in a more intimate setting all the more fleeting. Several reasons for the withdrawal crossed her mind, but one stood out more than the others.

She knew that Kyra was injured more severely than she was admitting as she could see her wince and flinch with the most basic of movements. The only time she got a good look at her was when Kyra tried to free her hands. A slow progress, but it was beginning to fray so Kyra kept at it. She couldn't even be excited by this because she saw what the cost of all of this was and it always churned her stomach. Bruises and welts marred her skin and a bluish purple became the tone of her skin. She tried her best to not stare, but she would have to avoid Kyra entirely to miss it and she never wanted her to feel self conscious. Instead, she tried her best to express how she felt through her eyes as she looked at Kyra with only love. 

Kyra wouldn't even allow her to kiss her and that stung, but she was a grown woman and would handle the unspoken rejection like an adult. Her urge to hold Kyra grew every passing hour, she just wanted to protect her, but all she could do was watch as she got deeper into her own darkness. She just wanted to cradle Kyra's face in her hands and tell her that everything would ok and that she would save them somehow. She wanted to make Kyra believe in her, but most importantly, that she believe in herself once again. 

All the light Kyra once held was fading from her eyes and all that lingered was dark. There was always a spark that Kyra had, especially when it was about something so passionate to her, but now she was even lucky to get a glance of acknowledgement. There was a gloss to her eyes and a distant look that she couldn't unsee. Even on the odd moments when Kyra looked at her, she wasn't ever sure she was actually paying attention to her and not just lost in whatever dark thoughts she was stuck in. Kassandra would try to help and offer to tell Kyra stories or words of comfort, but nothing seemed to make a difference.

It got to the point where she stopped wasting her efforts because she couldn't tell if trying to talk to Kyra was helping or hurting her. How she desperately wished for Kyra to just tell her what was wrong, but she knows from firsthand experience that it was never easy. Kyra probably didn't even realize how bad she had gotten and, at best, would get defensive and argumentative and Kassandra absolutely did not want to deal with them fighting. Neither of them had the energy for that and Kassandra did not want to spend what could be their last moments together in an argument. Still, she could just give up on her because she loved her and she deserved better than what was happening to them.

As grim as their outlook was, Kassandra didn't lose hope as one of them needed to keep a grip and, as fate would have it, she was the only option by default. Over the few days they had been trapped, Kyra had all but shut off from everything so she was worthless if anything were to happen. Kyra never seemed to sleep much at all and, when she did, it was fitful and broken. She would mutter words that she never could make out and would toss and turn continuously. Kassandra would keep watch whenever she noticed Kyra sleeping to try to help give her a sense of peace, but it was more of a chance to catch her with her guard down. Only when she was sleeping did Kassandra get to look her over without a worry of setting her off or making her turn away.

Too many times Kyra would wake up in a panic and pretend it never happened and Kassandra could only watch as she woke up in a terror. This time though was different in a way Kassandra couldn't pinpoint. The sheer fear that filled Kyra's face was evident so whatever her nightmare was, it probably hit too close to home. Kassandra was all too familiar with these kinds of terrors as she had a hard time sleeping too. She's been more conscious about her actions ever since her outburst that hurt Kyra and she doesn't let her guard down much to try to prevent it from happening, but even she slips now and again. There's only ever been one thing to help her and it was when she was holding Kyra and she can't help but wonder if it is the same for her too. 

She couldn't fix it for her now, but she could at least try to figure out what had spooked her. Not that it ever did much good since Kyra tended to ignore her. "Kyra? Kyra, what happened? Are you alright?" 

"I- I don't think so."

An answer! As elated as Kassandra wanted to feel from this breakthrough, she knew it was not from a place of progress. That if Kyra was finally talking to her now, that meant that what she had seen in mind had crossed a line. 

"Talk to me, tell me what is wrong." A desperate plea from a woman desperate to help the love of her life.

"I think I'm losing my sense of reality. I am seeing things and feeling things that aren't here and I don't know how to make it stop."

Kassandra had feared as much when Kyra first told her about her hallucinations, but she thought it was a one time occurrence. She had overlooked somehow that this was a reoccurring problem. "How long has this been happening?"

"I think two days now, but I'm not sure. I've lost all sense of time being down here. I know it sound crazy, but I just don't know down from up, at least I don't think I do."

Of course it sounds crazy, but she knew Kyra well enough to know that she believed in what she was saying. That this wasn't just a story for attention, but that Kyra fully felt she was losing her grip on reality. Never could she have imagined Kyra being this bad, not with how strong she usually is. Maybe Kassandra was too blinded by what she thought she should see that she completely missed what warnings were right in front of her. She should have noticed all of this and tried to help her, she should have done more. 

The least she can do now is indulge her enough to figure out how to help her. It was clear that Kyra was disillusioned to the extent where she didn't know if she were awake or not so that was a good place to start. "Do you think you're in that now or do you think this is real?" 

"I haven't decided yet. It usually starts off normal before something terrible happens and then I wake up."

Her heart aches for Kyra's suffering and when they made it out of this mess and got to safety, she would make up for all the lost time they've endured. "How can I help you? What do you think I could do to prove that I am real and that you're here with me?"

"Tell me something that you've never told me before. Something that I know I couldn't fabricate in my own mind."

"So like a story?"

"Yes."

"Um, ok, let's see..." Kassandra trails off trying to buy herself some time to come up with something she hasn't shared with her yet. There were many stories, but she wanted one that could inspire a little hope to their situation. 

"Ah! Kassandra chimes as she thinks she's found the perfect story to meet Kyra's request. "I've got one. Have I ever told you that I won the Battle Of One Hundred Hands and foiled a cult coup at the same time?"

"No, I don't think you have. Can you tell me about it?"

Kassandra sits herself up a bit to get more comfortable. She quickly runs through the events in her mind to get the right order of events when she remembers a key detail she had forgotten. This story would be a boost in morale as she did take down some cultists, but she also, without a doubt, slept with the woman she would have to talk about. One look at Kyra and she knew it was too late to backtrack, but she could perhaps just gloss over Roxana's involvement. 

Just in case though, she would ask Kyra to not be angry with her just in case. They didn't have a habit of discussing the past lovers in their lives for a reason as it only brought on hurt feelings and jealousy. "Let me preface this with the request that you won't get mad at me."

"Why would I be mad at you? What did you do?"

"Just... you'll see, but I need your word you're not going to be mad."

"I don't like to agree to what I don't know, but I promise I will at least consider your request."

"Good enough for me." Kassandra would take what she could get and she began to tell the tale.

"It all started by accident as I was just exploring the other islands when I found myself on Melos. There's not a whole lot going on there, but I did happen to stumble on it at the right time. I happened upon a man, Drakios, who was in charge of the entire event. Apparently there is a battle that is held there where warriors and fighters from all of Greece come to prove they are superior. Once he explained to me what the event entailed, I knew I had to participate."

"What kind of an event was it?" Kyra interrupts her. "Was it a hand to hand combat or weapons? Was it an elimination?"

"Weapons and you could call it an elimination of sorts."

"Of sorts? It either is or it isn't."

"It was an elimination so, yes you got "eliminated," but it was permanently, as in dead."

"And you just had to put yourself into a death match?"

"I knew I would win."

"Of course you would think that."

There's the snark she was used to from Kyra. If there was no other benefit to this story, at least she got a glimpse of the real Kyra, _her_ Kyra. It gave her a little hope that maybe this was making a difference for her after all.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Kassandra raises her brow to challenge Kyra to rebuke her claim, but is met with silence. "That's what I thought."

"Was that what I was going to be mad at? You tossing yourself into the fray with reckless abandon?"

"Uhhhhh, no." Kassandra admits a bit too quick. She could have lied and just said yes, but she didn't want to make a habit of embellishing. "You'll definitely know it when you hear it."

"Fair enough, please continue."

"Anyway, so I obviously wanted in on such an event, but Drakios told me that I needed to prove myself and that I had to train with a sanctioned competitor so they could vouch for me. I could have bribed him with a hefty pouch of drachmae, but I had time on my hands so I accepted his terms. I found myself sailing to Hydrea to train before I went back to Melos where I fought ninety nine others until only two of us remained, the trainer and myself. We got taken to a special area where we had to fight to the death, but I convinced them to join my crew and, by doing so, I unraveled a plot of the cult against me. Turns out Drakios worked for the cult and the meet up was an ambush. I not only won the coveted title of the champion, but I killed several cultist scum too."

"Hold on now," Kyra interrupts her again, "it seems like you're glossing over your training. You can't tell me you went to train and just not tell me what you did and cut right to the end."

Shit.

"I just did the basic things, super boring."

That was a _terrible_ deflection and only someone daft wouldn't see through it. She didn't want to outright lie to her, but a little misdirection was well within her limits.

"Humor me. I don't have your worldly perspective." 

Kassandra is still apprehensive, but the moment Kyra gives her that frown, she knows she's got to tell her everything. Kyra was the only one she could not resist, especially if it was a pout. She just looked so cute that Kassandra was helpless and fell right under her spell.

"Please?" Kyra softly requests.

That was all it took for Kassandra's resolve to break. "Fine, fine, just don't look at me like that."

Kyra's pout wipes away instantly at Kassandra's concession and it was well worth whatever turmoil she may face for what she's about to say.

"I met with this trainer and they tested me in three different ways. The first was archery, the second was clearing out a pack of wolves from the area, and the third was a race. I easily won."

"Does this trainer have a name?"

"Yes."

"And it is...?" Kyra draws it out and Kassandra knew it was for her to give her the answer she already knew. 

"Roxana. Roxana of Hydrea."

A moment passes and Kassandra can see Kyra's eyes widen for just a moment as she realizes what exactly Kassandra wasn't saying.

"You slept with her, didn't you?"

Kyra's tone wasn't harsh nor was it cheerful, but she'd take neutrality over the alternative.

"I did, yes."

Another moment passes as Kyra reflects on what she's said. "When was this?"

"She was before I met you."

Kyra didn't need to know the specifics as Kassandra tried not to remember them, especially if there was a less than happy ending.

"How many women have you been with?"

Kassandra's caught off guard and coughs to try to clear the blockage that has now formed in her throat. "What? Why does that matter?"

"It matters to me, I'm just curious."

Kassandra's body feels tense and her jaw clenches ever so. She's not used to these kinds of discussions and she doesn't have them for a reason. The past is the past and nothing you do can ever change that so what use is there in dwelling? At least with lovers anyway. She's had far too many to count and she feels a little shame in that. She was who she was, but the fact that she had been with so many women that she lost track? Well, it wasn't something to brag about any longer. She didn't need flaunt her conquests to the world to brag as she had the only woman she needed right in front of her. That wouldn't be the right answer to this question though and it would look like she was trying to weasel her way out of it.

"I don't- I don't have a number."

"Not even a guess?"

"Honestly, no."

She waits as Kyra wrestles with this and she tries to not read to much into what her reactions are, but they're not too promising. She watches her face scrunch up in disgust (albeit briefly) and Kassandra wonders if that was too much for Kyra to take. She was above average on her "consumption" of women and she never once let it bother her, but she also never saw herself falling in love. It would break her heart if this was the final straw for Kyra and their relationship. That her promiscuity was too much to accept.

"Does this bother you?" Kassandra sheepishly asks.

"Yes." Kyra answers her immediately.

Kassandra felt a lump form in her throat. Kyra answered her without any hesitation so that was not a good sign. She didn't mean for this conversation to take such a turn, but there was no going back now. Perhaps she could try to level them out? Kyra must have a long list of lovers too because there's no way a woman like her wasn't hounded by all the eligible (and not so eligible) men and women of Mykonos.

"How about you? I'm sure you've seen your fair share."

"Three."

"Only three?" There was just no way Kyra could be telling her the truth. Someone as wonderful as her only being with three people? Impossible. "You must be joking, there's no way." 

Kyra doesn't respond to her, but her face seems quite serious. Even with the spike in Kyra's uncertainty about everything, there's no mistaking what that look meant. Still, she just couldn't wrap her mind it all.

"I find it hard to believe Kyra," Kassandra says as she shakes her head in disbelief, "I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous and you must have had all the townspeople lining up at your door."

"I am more than just a pretty face, Kassandra. Believe it or not, I don't just toss myself in bed with who ever decides to breathe my direction."

Ouch.

Kassandra didn't toss herself at _everyone_ , but she probably could have said no on several occasions. Who was she to deny the women of Greece? She worked hard and made sure that she relaxed just as much. It was a service for many unhappy ladies and there was nothing wrong with it... except... except that there was everything wrong with it. 

Hearing herself think like that, equating herself to nothing more than an object... it makes her sound like a pig. Was this really how she used to think? She's never been one to give it much thought, but Kyra's poor reaction has made her step a step back and really look at what she's said. It was like she thought she was the gods gift to women and that it was her duty to give herself to as many as she could. Hell, she's had three just in a single night before so to think that's all Kyra has ever had is like taking a dip in ice cold water. It made her feel rather disgusted and disappointed with herself. That way of thinking was selfish and unhealthy and she needed to do better in recognizing that. 

Her curiosity getting the better of her though, Kassandra asks about the mystery person on her list. "Who else was there besides Thaletas and myself then?"

"I had dated a man who died in a fishing accident shortly after our one year of courting when I was younger and, after that loss, I just had no desire to be with anyone until I met you and Thaletas."

That is a tragic story and Kassandra can sympathize with the loss as she has had many heartbreaks. Tragedy never gets easy, but it does become more numbing.

A thought hits Kassandra as she listens. If Kyra was with this man, Thaletas, and then herself, that meant that...

"Wait, wait, wait, so before me you'd never been with a woman?"

"Nope, you were the first."

"No way. No way, no way, no way..." Kassandra says dumbfounded. This was now absolutely something she couldn't believe. Kyra gave no indication that she had never done this sort of thing before and Kassandra had been with her fair share of novices. Why didn't she let her know? It wouldn't have prevented them from sleeping together. Was she afraid that she might have turned her down if she knew? 

Kassandra had to know.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I have? I was afraid it would scare you away and I can see now that I was right to be wary."

Kyra was very clearly taking her reaction negatively and that was very much not the case. "It's not that, Kyra, I promise. I have been many women's firsts with another woman so that wouldn't have discouraged me in the slightest. I just would have done more to make it special for you. I just assumed you knew what was happening."

Kassandra wasn't lying either as when she knew she was a first (of whatever caliber), she took extra care of who she was with. Not that her first time with Kyra wasn't special, but she would have gone the extra steps.

"It's not all that different from being with a man to an extent if I'm honest. There's a purpose of release, but the journey to get there just varies a bit. I just thought about what I enjoyed when I was by myself and acted on it."

Huh. Guess she's not wrong as much as Kassandra doesn't like being compared to men. 

"I never would have known had you not just told me. I would have considered you an expert."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Why did you change your mind with me?" Kassandra hadn't ever had these type of discussions before so to say she was curious was an understatement. She knew that, with herself, it had always been women, but Kyra had only know men.

"I felt something with you that I've never felt with anyone else. For the first time in my life, when you were near me I felt safe."

Whoa. That was quite the statement and to feel that so early on? She had no idea.

"Thaletas had tried to me feel like that, but it was only natural with you and I don't even think you were trying."

It is true, she wasn't actively trying to do that, but she's glad her past self had enough forethought to want to protect her.

"Once I knew you weren't a threat, I felt a tug towards you that I couldn't explain. I didn't know how yet, but I knew you would be special to me."

Kassandra was almost speechless. It was one thing to know Kyra cared for her so early on, but to choose to be with her when she's never been with another woman before because of a gut feeling? She doesn't know who to thank for that. She needs to apologize for her past because it was becoming something she was increasingly not proud of.

"I didn't realize, I'm sorry. I hope you don't think less of me for the fact that I have a lot of past... _experience."_

"I will admit, it is a bit... shocking, but I think it's something that I already knew deep down. I have eyes and I'm sure you've met lots of women like me and given them something to remember for life. I never believed I was ever the only one."

"You're the only one that matters." Kassandra answers firmly, staring deep into her eyes. Kyra was the only woman for her in any lifetime and she needed Kyra to know this beyond a doubt.

"You don't need to try to flatter me by saying that, you already have my heart in your hands anyway."

Kyra didn't believe her. She thinks it is just her trying to be smooth, but that couldn't be further from what she mean and what she felt. "I do not aim to flatter you because that would indicate that I had ulterior motives for why I said what I did. No, no, I said it because it is true. I may have seen my fair share of women, but none were ever you." 

Kyra turns away from her and she can't help but think she blew it yet again. So many times she's had the opportunity to say the right thing... she can't give up, not yet. 

"You can look away from me, but that doesn't make what I'm telling you less true. I know I have a reputation for being a womanizer more or less, but that all changed once I met you."

"Is that so?" Kyra looks back at her and her disbelief is evident.

"It is true." Kassandra defends. "Ever since we've been together, I've been with no other."

"You forget that we never were in a relationship until much later and, even then, it didn't last very long."

Kyra had a good point, unfortunately, but she would not be stopped before she finished what she needed to say. "I'm talking about the very moment our paths crossed again until now. There has never been another in my bed."

Kassandra watches intently as Kyra absorbs everything and she can only anxiously wait until she gets a response. It looked like Kyra was almost relieved for a moment, but it could just have been her projecting what she wanted to see. 

Kyra's eyes lock on to her own, regarding her in a manner she's not accustomed to and she's hit with a question she never expected.

"Do you remember asking me about if I saw myself as a wife?"

Kassandra couldn't understand the shift in their discussion, but the look in Kyra's eyes were softening because of it. "I do, yes."

"I had told you yes initially, but that I had changed my mind since. You asked me what changed when I said I was unsure and I never gave you an answer. Do you want to know why?"

"Of course I would."

"You. You are why I changed my mind."

"I don't understand." Kassandra was utterly lost at what this had to do with what they were talking about before. Was there something she missed? 

"I had always seen myself having a life partner and children until I met you and, from how I knew you to be, I knew from then on that it was never going to happen for me because I chose you. The moment we crossed that line together on the beach, you were it for me. As much as I may have wanted such a life, you just weren't that person and you never would be. I knew you would never fit into how I had envisioned my future so I let it go. I no longer wanted to think about settling down because I knew if I did that, it would mean you were no longer in my life and it wasn't something I could bear. You could easily have anyone you wanted and I knew that if I wanted to have a chance of keeping your attention, that I could never push for more. I love you, Kassandra, and that means I will sacrifice what I want for you."

Kassandra could only blink and offer a blank stare. How a story about her victory against the cult turned into a heavy discussion about marriage and dreams was beyond her comprehension. What Kyra had told her was a lot to take in and she really didn't know what to do. The last thing she wanted to do was blurt out something stupid, but she knew Kyra would probably prefer a response. She might not be able to promise all of those things to Kyra right now, but she could assure her that she loves her.

"Kyra, that's a- well, that's a lot to take in and I'm trying to do better in expressing my feelings to you so be patient with me as I work out what I'm trying to say, yeah?"

Kassandra looks for an approval and gets it in the form of a small nod from Kyra.

"There is one thing I want to make very clear to you and I would like it if you could move closer to me. Do you think you could handle that?" Kassandra knew she was pressing her luck with this request, but this newfound confession from Kyra may just be the opening she needed to work her way back in.

She waits for the refusal, but she never gets one. Instead, Kyra makes her way until she's standing right before her. It was a good start, but Kassandra had a very specific spot in mind for her so she just needed one more tiny nudge.

"Would it be alright if you sat on my lap? I have a hard time seeing you from all the way up there."

Again, Kassandra waits for her to back away, but after a few seconds, Kyra lowers herself so that's she resting on her.

"That wonderful, thank you Kyra." Kassandra's not sure why she's continuing to praise her for such minute actions, but it seems to be working. 

"Please look at me when I tell you this because I don't want you to have any doubts. I also want you to listen to me and listen very carefully."

How she desperately needs her hands free so that she can trace every inch of Kyra's face. She can see the pain and sorrow nested deep within her and she's now witness to the exterior damage done. Kyra's left eye is almost swollen shut along with a rainbow of colors peppering all over any exposed flesh. Still, even with the horrors that Kyra has endured, she still made Kassandra's heart beat faster than anyone else in the world. There would be no hesitation in her words, only the truth.

"Kyra, I love you so much. Nobody brings me more joy or brightens my life like you. I seem to always be apologizing to you for something I did or something I said and I don't think it will ever change, but now I have to say I'm sorry for how made you feel."

Kassandra can feel herself choking up, something she's very unfamiliar with. She has the words, but her body is fighting her. Every instinct she had was never to allow herself this close to anyone because it only brought pain. Every defense she's built, she's knocking down and her body wasn't going to let her off easy.

Kyra takes pity on her floundering and leans forward so that their foreheads are touching. "You don't have to do this Kassandra. This is my problem, not yours."

Kassandra pulls her head back, surprised that Kyra would be so willing to dismiss this. "No. This isn't just your problem, this is our problem."

Any difficulty she had before dissipated as this was her moment, her time to be there for Kyra. Gods knows how many times it was Kassandra on the other end of this and Kyra never backed away. The cult, Sparta, all of this was her burden, her problem, but Kyra took it as her own because she loved her. Now, it was time for Kassandra to do the same.

"Your problems are my problems because I love you. I had no idea these thoughts ever crossed your mind and I would love to look at you and tell you that you could have just told me, but we both know that would be a lie. I was always too selfish and self absorbed in my own problems that I never saw yours. You did as I did and I came to expect that, which was very wrong of me. I was so single minded that I never gave you my proper attention until it was too late. To know that you thought of a future with me, a life, it's... overwhelming."

Kassandra can feel Kyra begin to pull away to create distance and that is the exact opposite of what she wants. Having nothing left to lose, Kassandra surges herself forward so that they could connect in a kiss. Kyra doesn't respond at first, but soon Kassandra's kiss is returned tenderly. It has been far too long since they've kissed and this wasn't how she had imagined them reuniting, but she would take it. 

The kiss doesn't last long as Kassandra didn't want to agitate any injury Kyra may have, but she allows her lips to remain on Kyra's. She also needed to finish what she was saying so that Kyra understood that she was in this for the long haul.

"Please don't pull away from me." A simple request in any other circumstance, but this is far from ordinary.

"Ok." Kyra softly speaks against her lips before Kyra leans back in for more.

As much as she wants to get this back on track, she cannot deny how intoxicating Kyra's kiss was and as long as Kyra was game, so was she. There was a sense of urgency for the contact, but it oddly did not feel rushed. There was a pull for more, to go faster while simultaneously wanting to go slow and drag this out. Kassandra felt like she was getting hit on all sides with everything that she was feeling, everything Kyra elicited from her, but she couldn't keep a focus.

A bite to her bottom lip pulls her from her distracting thoughts. Kyra smiles wickedly as Kassandra runs her tongue over it and comes away with the distinct tinge of blood as it hits. She wasn't sure if it was hers or Kyra's, but with the look Kyra was sporting, she'd guess it was her handiwork. Kassandra didn't need to be handled gently, but she would keep all her responses light for Kyra's sake. As much as she wants to be rough with her, it is unwise so she just rests herself into Kyra's embrace and nuzzles her neck.

Kyra has a firm grasp around her neck and any space that they once had was long gone. Kassandra reveled in the feel of Kyra pressing up against her and it reminded her of all the times she took this for granted. How many nights could she have spent with Kyra like this? Nights she foolishly wasted being petty and trying to control her. All because her stupid ego couldn't let her get near anyone else to make up for her own flaws and shortcomings. Kassandra had nobody to blame but herself for her stupidity and she had to do better to make sure it never happened again. She could not (and would not) promise any miracles because Kassandra knew herself better than that, but what she could promise was communication. 

Communication that she should've already established and then they'd never have landed in this mess to begin with. Her jealous nature is what started all this off with Thaletas and his actions at the beach. She could have just injured him, ending his career, but somewhere deep within her she knew that she would never have Kyra if he was still around. Kyra may have been willing to make an exception for her, but Kassandra still would have left and that would only have pushed Kyra further into his arms. She was jealous Kyra thought of him, that she couldn't talk to her like he did, that everyone who looked at her wanted her. What she was most jealous of was that Kyra wasn't even hers to be jealous of.

The moments before the killing blow, her mind raced with all the outcomes, all the collateral damage and all the benefits. Even in the heat of the moment, she is always in her element and can calculate the best course of action. Her best chance at Kyra required Thaletas' death. Her one track mind knew no limits and Thaletas was just stupid enough to give her a motive. She never would have stuck first, but when he challenged her that night, it was all over. She wouldn't have walked away and his pride prevented him from doing the same. Not a moment did she think that she wouldn't win because he may have had the woman she wanted, but that was all he held over her. Her skills far outpaced his and there would have had to been several unfortunate missteps on her end for him to even have a chance. 

She should feel remorseful, but she doesn't. If anything, she should thank him for being so brash as she and Kyra would most likely have gone their separate ways otherwise (as much as she hates to think it). As much as she hated the man, he did do her a favor.

"-andra."

"Hmm? What was that?" Kassandra asks, having been completely wrapped up in her own mind.

"I said your name four times before you responded. You just kind of stopped and I was worried I overstepped."

"Gods no, you didn't overstep, not even a little." Kassandra tries to reassure as she pulls away from Kyra, hoping her mental tangent didn't ruin this. "I got to thinking about us and that got me reflecting on how all of this started and, as much as I blamed you for our predicament now, the truth is this is all on me."

"How can you say that?" Kyra pulls back even further, clearly confused at Kassandra's confession. "This isn't your fault, Kassandra, it's mine. My actions got us here, you tried to stop me."

"Yes, but none of this would have happened if I'd have just talked to you. If I had been honest from the start with Thaletas, we wouldn't be here now. You might have hated me and you may have not wanted me to be in your life, but you would have been safe. I hate that I've put you in this position because you deserve to live among the stars and not trapped underneath rotting wood."

"Is that what you think I want? To go back to how it all used to be?"

"I mean, yeah, why wouldn't you? I know you love me, but you wouldn't have known any better. You wouldn't be doubting everything you've ever dreamed of. You could have had the life you always imagined, without all this chaos."

Kassandra had been so selfish with Kyra that she never stopped to think of what this all meant to her. She knew when they spoke the first time of this that Kyra wasn't telling her everything. She knew her well enough to see when she was holding back, but she never bothered to press for more because she didn't want to hear it. It was just easier to believe Kyra would always be the one to bend. Even now, she knew Kyra didn't want to give this all up, but for Kassandra, she would. She would abandon what she wants because of her and that just didn't sit right.

Far too long she's looked out for only herself and that had to stop and it had to stop now. The best thing she could do was get them out of this situation and leave Kyra to a life without her and her baggage. To allow Kyra to live the life she deserved, but she knew that Kyra would never go for that now. She also would not make that decision for her, not again. It was easier to make Kyra's choice for her, but it wasn't the right call. As much difficulty as she's cause her, it would probably be worse if she were to walk away.

Kassandra can remember the ache in her chest when Kyra left her back in Sparta and she couldn't imagine living with the pain forever knowing she did it to herself. It would be one thing if Kyra decided that she could no longer live this life, but if she pushed Kyra away on purpose, she knew she'd regret it.

"Kassandra, did you not listen to anything I said? What part made you jump to the conclusion that I wish I'd never known you?" Kyra angrily scoots herself off Kassandra lap altogether and settles for the floor in front of her.

"I swear to the gods that we keep having this same argument and you never hear what I'm telling you! For all your requests of me listening, you'd think you'd show me the same courtesy."

"I do listen to you! I do, but you just can't just keep saying this stuff."

"Saying what?! What am I saying that keeps making you block out everything I tell you and twist it into something else?"

Kassandra is getting frustrated that Kyra doesn't see it. How can she not see what she's doing to herself because of her love for her? She is just giving and giving because it is what Kassandra had wanted, but she shouldn't ever have to give like this. Doesn't she get it?

"I hear you crystal clear, but do you hear yourself? How much have you had to sacrifice because of me? How many feelings did you swallow down just because you were afraid I'd just walk away? That's not love Kyra." She hated having to say it, but she needed Kyra to see just what she was doing to herself.

"So now you're telling me that because I'm willing to compromise, that I don't love you? What the fuck is wrong with you? Why do you have to find a fault with everything?"

"What you're doing isn't a compromise, can't you see that? You being willing to shed your entire identity for me isn't what love is! Love is compromise, yes, but you can't be the only one making the effort..."

Kassandra registers what she's said after it leaves her lips. Her look of determination to prove a point turns so easily to something crestfallen. She's thought about this again and again, but it never clicked into place until right now. How could it have been so muddled yet so clear? 

"Oh my god, why didn't I see this before?" Kassandra mutters to herself. "I'm such a malaka!" Kassandra shouts as she yanks on her restraints to release her frustration. Only this time, her binds snap with the motion.

"See what? Kassandra? What do you see?"

She cannot avoid this now that she understands the problem. Kyra needs to hear this truth, even if it hurts.

"I don't deserve you... can't you see that? I say I love you, but I've not given a single thing to you. You keep giving and giving and all I do is take, but what have I given you?" Kassandra cannot hold back the tears as she sheds this layer of vulnerability. "You're so pure, like a jewel, and I'm only dulling your shine. I have failed your love."

Kyra's face softens after her outburst and Kassandra feels the tender touch of her hand as Kyra wipes away a tear. "Is that really what you think?"

Kassandra can only nod her head to confirm as she brings her hands forward to cover her face. She always knew she was the problem, but she couldn't quite figure out why until now. For all the love she felt for Kyra, she had never compromised in anything they did. Kyra was the first to back down every. single. time. and she had just let her. Most of the time she didn't even realize it was happening, but now that she's called herself out, it's all she can see. How can she claim to love Kyra if she treats her so?

"Kassandra! Your hands... look!" Kyra exclaims and Kassandra doesn't follow until she notices that her hands were indeed on her face as she couldn't see when her eyes were open.

Tugging them away from her face, she inspects them. Flipping them over and back again in disbelief, flexing her hands again and again to get the feeling back into her fingertips. 

"How long have you been free?" Kyra asks her as she takes a hand into her own so that she can assess the deep wound on her wrist.

"I- I don't know... it couldn't have been very long."

"Do you know what this means?"

Kassandra knows exactly what this means for them now. With her having her mobility back, there was no stopping them from breaking out and making a run for it.

"Oh yeah." Kassandra cockily remarks as she forms a fist. "It means someone's about to get their face smashed in courtesy of me."

"We can go home."

The thought had been long deserted in the back of Kassandra's mind, but with this stroke of good luck, she's beginning to feel her optimism returning. To be free of this, of the cult, it would be a much needed answer of their prayers.

Kassandra is in desperate need of standing and getting her legs moving because of how long she's been stuck sitting. Taking Kyra's now offered hand, she shakily stands on her own two feet. Her time up and about was very minimal and was done with strict supervision so if they had any chance of getting out of this, she needed to be as nimble as possible.

She starts out slow with small steps and turns, but as she feels more comfortable, it turns into her bouncing back and forth. Landing only on her toes to not create an abundance of noise, she feels ready to make this happen. Her only concern now was if Kyra was well enough to make it out with her.

With her newly found freedom, she takes two large strides until she's directly in front of Kyra. Her desire to run her hands all over Kyra was strong and she needed the connection. With everything they'd talked about, she just needed to feel her. 

She starts off by first taking Kyra's hands into her own as she moves her thumbs back and forth to caress the now rough skin. From there, she allows her hands to gently trace up Kyra's arms, taking extra care to be gentle. Working her way upwards, she goes until her hands reach her shoulders where she presses on until her hands are loosely clasped around Kyra's neck. Kassandra was mesmerized as to how Kyra reacted to every touch and she could feel the goosebumps rise beneath her touch. Kassandra watches Kyra's throat as she swallows heavily with anticipation, wanting desperately to mark her for herself to cover up all those done to her. 

It seems Kyra understands exactly what thoughts are crossing her mind because as Kassandra stares, Kyra gives her permission for her unspoken thought. "Do it."

God did she want to, but Kyra was in no condition for much and Kassandra didn't want to hurt her.

"Please..." Kyra begs and Kassandra meets her gaze and can see only desire, her eyes void of any hesitation. "It will hurt, but I'd rather feel the pain from you than from him."

"If it is too much, I need you to tell me."

"Deal."

If Kyra wanted to replace her bruises of pain with those of pleasure, she would oblige. Kassandra allows her eyes to roam to figure out just where she needs to focus as she wouldn't be able to cover everything. A thought hits her and she knows exactly what to do.

Kassandra reaches her left hand up to grasp at Kyra's throat. Squeezing just a little bit, Kyra makes a sound of discomfort, nearly stopping her right there.

"Don't stop" Kyra speaks up at Kassandra's hesitation.

Trusting her, Kassandra grips a bit tighter and forces her backwards until her back hit the bars. Kyra winces in pain from the impact, but Kassandra knows to not stop. There was not much in terms of support or comfort so she would need to most of this while standing. Any weakness or fatigue she was feeling before was forgotten. Her hunger pains subsided in the blink of an eye as all she was hungry for now was Kyra. She would have to wait to have a taste until they were in a more suitable scenario, but she could find immeasurable pleasure by other means.

Kassandra releases her grip and adjusts her hand so that her other one could join in. She cradled Kyra's jaw in her palms as she traces its outline with her thumbs. She presses down with a bit more force than she'd usually use and, in response, she could feel Kyra tensing beneath her. Not willing to wait any longer, Kassandra tugs Kyra's head forward so that their lips crash together. Her heart and soul pours into every kiss and Kyra offers up no hesitation.

Kassandra was always intoxicated by Kyra's kisses, but the one's she's getting now had something extra to them. They tasted like danger and desperation, a volatile combination depending on the circumstances. Here now though... that taste was exactly what they needed. Kassandra bites at Kyra's lip as Kyra returns the favor, both desperately trying to fill their craving for one another. Blood hits her tongue and she is well aware that her lip has opened back up along with Kyra's, but it didn't faze her. Blood did something to her that she couldn't explain and getting a taste was as primal as she could get.

Kassandra moves from Kyra's lips to her throat as she sucks and bites the slightly healing bruises. She didn't want to break the skin, but she came close as she marked every inch of her. She could hear Kyra's ragged breaths and she could feel the vibrations as they hit her lips.

Not wanting to prolong what she really wanted, Kassandra pulls back just enough to reposition her thigh between Kyra's legs. The moan she gets in response to the contact sends a rush through her whole body. Pinning Kyra's hands above her, she presses harder into her and hovers her mouth just above Kyra's. She swears she can taste the arousal between them as it radiates around without their lips even needing to touch. 

Only Kyra has made her feel like she's drunk when she's not touched a drop of alcohol. She's as sober as she can be, but her head is spinning like she's finished off an entire bottle. She didn't have a word for what this all was, but she was addicted in every possible way regardless.

She allows her free hand to travel down Kyra's chest, scratching her with what little nail she has left. It leaves a harsh red line, but that's exactly what Kyra wanted. A mark, a touch that was all their own and she would give that to her and more. It wouldn't take much work to get Kyra's upper half free, but she would need to be more considerate than she usually is. Kyra did not have the luxury of a new wardrobe at her disposal so ripping her breasts free was sadly not an option. Kassandra would have to wait until there was at least one change of clothes before she went that route. It didn't stop her from picturing Kyra heaving as the air hit her naked chest. With any luck, she'd have something close in just a moment.

"Hands down." Kassandra orders as she releases her grip on Kyra's wrists.

Kyra quickly obeys and Kassandra unravels the top portion of her peplos and she's not disappointed. Kyra had foregone any undergarments to restrain herself in her haste to get ready all those days ago. She must have actually believed that she was in a rush and that Kassandra would have left without her. Truth be told, she was just planning to wait outside until she was dressed and only told Kyra she was just leaving to get a rise out of her. 

"Grab the bars above you and don't let go." Kassandra orders again and Kyra doesn't waste time in readjusting to their prior position.

"Good girl." Kassandra praises and she can tell that Kyra's cheeks are tinged in a deeper red than before and her moan becomes a hint raspier.

Was this out of an unspoken embarrassment? No, she didn't believe that to be the case so that meant that Kyra must really, really enjoy the praises. It would explain her sudden willingness to obey when Kassandra had wanted her close not that long ago. A good find indeed and this was definitely something that she would tuck away in her mind for later use. For now, she had something better to focus on.

Kassandra looks down towards Kyra's exposed breasts and smirks devilishly for what she's about to do. Kyra's chest was relatively unscathed all things considered so she didn't want to add too much color here, but she couldn't resist the temptation to claim her.

Kassandra wastes no time with the foreplay and just latches onto her left nipple, giving it a small bite before she rolls it around between her teeth. Kyra arches her back to encourage her on and she fills Kassandra's ears with the sweetest whimpers she's ever heard. Kassandra repeats the motion on her right side and she notices that Kyra is working harder to get the friction going as she's all but riding her thigh. Knowing how much Kyra wants this, wants _her_ , spurs her to pick up the pace.

She offers a couple more love bites around her breasts before she shifts her attention to the main attraction. She needed this. Kyra needed this. Together they would pour their mind, body, and soul into this as there was no promise of tomorrow. 

"I wonder," Kassandra huskily whispers in Kyra's ear, "does this mean you also have nothing covering yourself down here."

Kassandra trails her hand from Kyra's chest to settle on her thigh and gives it a squeeze.

"Kassandra, touch me... touch me please."

Ever impatient she was but Kassandra wasn't willing to be too mean and tease her, at least not a lot. 

"I want you to tell me what you want, agapi mou." Kassandra growls out as she inches her hand up higher. "Tell me where you want me."

She's never used such a term with Kyra, but gauging her reaction to it, it was something she should start to do.

"I want-," Kyra gasps between breaths, "I need you inside me."

Kassandra had been pretty quiet thus far, but hearing Kyra say that elicited a primal growl. She's not going to waste another moment playing around as her prize is in her sights and she's going to claim it.

Hiking her hand up the rest of the way, Kassandra can already tell this will be quick because of just how ready Kyra is for her. A few tentative strokes to test Kyra's strength told her that she would need to do most of the work and hold the both of them up. Kyra became almost deadweight on her first pass so her moments would be a bit tight, but she would make this happen.

Kassandra doesn't both to ease her way in after that because her entire hand was well coated and she knew there would be almost no resistance. Slipping two fingers inside, Kassandra expertly moves them in tandem. Kyra throws her head back in response and Kassandra would have been concerned about the impact if it wasn't for the fact that Kyra was bucking wildly against her. 

Her leg is beginning to cramp up (an effect of being stuck sitting she presumes), but Kassandra was no quitter. She adds a third finger and presses her chest under Kyra's arms so that her face rested by her neck and she was essentially pinning her in place. It alleviated some of the weight from her leg, but the motion forced Kyra to release her hold and her arms were now digging into Kassandra's back. The pain from her digging was unexpected, but not unwanted.

Being so close to Kyra allowed her to hear all the barely audible gasps as she worked her towards a release. Kassandra could feel Kyra beginning to tighten around her and she knew that all it would take is one more well placed thrust to make her lose control.

Pausing for a split second, Kassandra decides to send her to her release with a parting gift before she finishes.

"I love you Kyra, let go for me."

With that, Kassandra brings Kyra beyond her limit and she cries out Kassandra's name over and over and over again. Kassandra doesn't dare move yet as Kyra rides out the aftershocks so she places gentle kisses to cover up the marks she made. Kassandra wasn't much for the aftercare before Kyra, but now she found it an integral part to them having sex. It was such a raw and vulnerable connection that she wouldn't pass up for the world. 

Careful in their disentangling, Kassandra leads Kyra back to where she's been tied up and lowers them both to the ground. She knew Kyra would need to sleep after that and she wanted to be able to get back into position if they were interrupted.

Kyra rests her head on Kassandra's lap and, before she falls asleep, she turns so that she's facing up so that they were looking at one another.

"Be the person I deserve."

"Hmm?" Kassandra mulls out as she runs her fingers through Kyra's hair.

"You tell me you don't deserve me, but that you love me. I'm telling you to become worthy of it. If that is what it takes, do better. I have made my choice in you and if you love me, prove to me that I made the right decision."

Kyra was right. She had made her choice in Kassandra and now it was up to her to prove that the love was not misplaced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it hot in here or is it just me?


	33. Pulses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Welcome to a slightly early update! By early I mean pretty much a week late, but I did allow myself 2 weeks for the last few chapters.
> 
> I also haven't edited this much (as of yet) as I had a challenge presented to me to get the chapter out by a certain time and I was bound and determined to hit it (and I did by 15 seconds). Guess you all should put the pressure on me more frequently lol.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this and please drop a comment as I'd love to know what you all think! It was another 10k doozy so it's nice and plentiful!
> 
> Karmin - Pulses  
> https://youtu.be/h3M-_HJqgAs

Kassandra idly runs her fingers through Kyra's hair, a soothing motion she's continued since Kyra fell asleep hours ago. They had also stopped somewhere (to restock most likely) as she felt the ship steady ever so for a fleeting moment. The waters had become restless otherwise, a constant rocking making her ever so grateful that she didn't get seasick so easily. She heard an uptick in the noise beside them indicating a larger port. The fishmongers yelling to sell their wares and the booming of the materials the dockworkers used while they went about their business building ships for a fleet. Kassandra held her breath every time a loud sound maneuvered through the hull, unfiltered by the walls of the wood. Kyra was finally getting the sleep she desperately needed and she wanted to keep it like that. This was the first time since this had all happened that Kyra slept soundly and she'd be damned if they were going to ruin it for her now.

For all the time she's thought about this moment of reunion, this scenario was never on the table. Kyra deserved to have more than some hastily rushed prison sex, especially when they both needed to bathe so desperately. There was nothing glamorous about what had just transpired, but it was what Kyra needed her to do. Kyra needed to not see the pain when she looked at her bruises, she needed to see the love that Kassandra had to give to her. She needed to feel alive and loved and that's just what she was able to give. 

With every whimper of pain Kyra filled her ears with, it hurt her soul, but the moment wasn't about her. Every time Kassandra covered a spot with her mark, all she could think of was why it was even there to begin with. How some brute needlessly harmed her just because he could... It was sickening. Kassandra didn't know why, but Kyra was targeted for this brutality and it made her skin crawl. She herself had gotten smacked around, but it was never to the extent or severity as to what happened to Kyra. For some reason beyond her comprehension, it was Kyra who got the force. Maybe it was just leverage against her, but nobody had never shown their face to her to gloat.

Speaking of faces, she's not seen Alexios' since he scolded them on the first night they were down here. If he was as dead set on killing her as he boasted, she was sure he'd have rubbed this all in her face just because he could. Instead, he chooses Kyra to appear to and, from what she's told her, showed her mercy. Kyra had not ever shared what the two of them spoke about, but she did assure that he did not appear to want her harmed. This made no sense from the man she knew and she was not foolish enough to consider him a changed man. This whole ordeal was suspect at best. Alas, she would not find any answers just sitting here so she would wait a bit longer for Kyra to awaken before she initiated their escape.

The plan was simple. Kassandra would take the lead and, when darkness fell, she would clear a path. Nobody was any wiser to her freedom nor did they consider Kyra fit for anything other than a punching bag so their guard would be low. So long as she was able to take out a few of them, they could jump overboard and swim. If luck was on their side, they'd be at land in no time, otherwise they were at risk for being lost at sea. Still, it beat the alternative of dying by their hands and it gave them a fighting chance. She had no clue as to their numbers, but a ship this size had to have at least twenty men to handle the steering alone. They would be vastly outnumbered and would most likely be killed on the spot if they went with a direct approach. No. They needed to do this right or else death awaited them sooner than they'd like.

A large jostle of the rough waters sends both Kassandra and Kyra to the other side of their cell. Kassandra is able to hold tight to Kyra and protect her from the impact, but that does little for herself as her face collides with one of the bars. 

"Tss" Kassandra hisses out in pain as she reaches up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She was an expert by now on minor injuries and she knew her nose had shifted by the hit because she could feel a warmth oozing its way down to her mouth. 

"What's happening?" Kyra groggily asks, still stuck in the fog of her exhaustion.

Kassandra sits herself up, doing the best to ignore the throbbing pain radiating from her nose. "If I had to guess, I'd say we've hit a storm."

"You're bleeding!" Kyra exclaims as she scoots over to get a better angle.

"I've had worse." Kassandra shrugs off. "This is nothing."

Before Kyra can protest, another strong wave smashes into the side of the ship, sending them both tumbling the opposite direction. Kassandra, to her credit, is better prepared and cushions the impact with her hand, but Kyra gets more momentum and her back slams hard into the bars.

"Kyra! Are you alright?" Kassandra asks as she scrambles her way to where Kyra was lying down.

Kyra only groans in response and Kassandra cannot help but to worry. She already was injured and if they keep getting tossed around like this, there's a chance that it would aggravate her wounds. Kassandra immediately reaches out to get Kyra sitting upright, taking great care to be as gentle as possible.

"I. Hate. Ships." Kyra groans out as they settled for the moment, both ending up tossed where they both started.

"Poseidon doesn't seem to be in a merciful mood, that's for sure." Kassandra quips as she wraps one arm though the bars and she uses the other to hold Kyra. "From the sounds of it, I don't think the men above deck are having any better luck."

The silence is no more as the sound of the heavy waves crashing around them and the howl of the wind gusting fills the void. That along with the barking of orders above them sets the tone for what kind of night they're going to have. Kassandra is not new to turbulence on the waters, but unlike on her ship, she has no control here. She is at the mercy of the captain (who ever that might be) and their skills to navigate them through this. Needless to say, she wasn't too keen on being so helpless.

The waves just prove unrelenting and Kassandra worries if the hull of the ship can take much more. She's gotten very familiar with it this past week and to have this ship sailing is a miracle. There is so much wrong she can see just from here and that's not even considering the rest of the ship that's out of view.

A cracking sound of wood somewhere nearby pierces her thoughts and sends a chill down her spine. At first she considered it a manifestation of her thoughts describing this exact scenario, but a second harrowing crack confirms her worst fear.

The ship was going to break.

"Kyra, we need to get out of here. Now." Kassandra urgently speaks as she pulls herself into an upright position.

"Why? What's wrong?!" Kyra panickedly questions, sensing Kassandra's urgency as she follows suit, gripping the bars to steady herself.

"The ship!" Kassandra looks around frantically trying to spot the source of the sound. "The ship is going to split!"

Kassandra rushes forward towards where the dimming flame is, near the hatch, but she cannot see anything but the darkness around them and is limited to the range of their cell.

This sparks recognition as Kassandra looks down at the cell door.

"Fuck... we're locked in..." Kassandra mutters as she shakes the cell door.

This was very bad news. If anything were to happen now, they'd drown before they could free themselves.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit." Kassandra mumbles as she paces back and forth, almost losing her balance when the ship gets hit with another wave. "Fuck!" Kassandra yells, kicking the spot where the lock is.

She no longer worried about the noise she was causing because they couldn't be heard over the wind anyway, yet alone the fact that drowning was an ever growing threat. She needed to think of something fast, but she had no tools to help her. Opting for brute force, Kassandra holds a bar with her left hand and repeatedly kicks the lock over, and over, and over. 

"That's not working, Kassandra," Kyra motions for her to stop by placing her hand on her shoulder, "we need another plan."

"What else can we possibly do, Kyra?!" Kassandra snaps back. "Unless you've got a key, I'd say my method is the best thing we've got."

Kyra doesn't say anything further so Kassandra resumes her kicks until her leg starts to burn. This was a waste of her time as the lock didn't look much worse for wear. If only she had her spear...

"I have an idea!" Kyra exclaims as she goes to stand in front of Kassandra. "There's not enough pressure on the lock to make a difference as your kicks are strong, but it only stretches the lock a tiny amount. We need to apply more pressure."

"With what?!" Kassandra probes frustratedly. "I don't see a weapon on either of us."

" _We_ are the weapon." Kyra answers like it is the most obvious thing.

"We are?" Kassandra was now fully lost in Kyra's thought process.

"Yes!" Kyra says as claps her hands together. "It will be a bit tricky, but I think it is the only way we can make this work."

Kyra must've hit her head harder than she thought as she was speaking nonsense. There was nothing they could possibly use on them to break that lock, but she didn't have anything else to go on.

"Fine, tell me more." Kassandra relents.

"You and I will lock arms and use each other as a counterweight to walk up the bars. Once we reach the lock, we both extend our legs and push as hard as we can."

The logic was sound enough now that she'd let Kyra explain it, but there was still something rather major that they had to contend with.

"Say this works and we manage to get it going, it will only take one wave to send us flying. We won't have enough time."

"That's why were going to set up while we're being struck. I've been counting the seconds between the swells and we've got around twelve before we seem to get hit again. All we'd need is two large steps to get us in place on the bars and then we'd have ten seconds to push before we have to stop."

Kassandra cannot believe the idea, but the truth is, it holds some merit. It was risky, but she had nothing better. "You're crazy. Brilliant too, but mostly just crazy."

Kassandra looks at the space they've got to work with and it will be a bit of a stretch, but it just might work. "We should swap places as my legs are stronger so we'd want that momentum towards the door instead of away from it in case I overpower you."

"Are you calling me weak?"

"No, not exactly. I'm calling myself stronger, big difference."

"First it is crazy and now it is weak. You sure know how to talk to a woman."

"Apparently I do because I have you now, don't I?"

Kyra sends her a scowl and Kassandra forgets for a moment that they're in a life or death scenario. She could picture them bantering like this for years to come, but to do that, they both needed to make it out of here now.

"Sorry." Kassandra apologizes for getting them off track and moves to take her position. "Now, when should we do this?"

"We will need to do a couple runs before we have any luck as the bars are thin so we'll probably fall a few times. I'll say go when we need to meet in the middle and we'll just try to practice getting our footing. Sound good?"

"No. Not particularly."

"Good. Now we go on the count of three."

Ah, fuck

"One."

Kassandra didn't want to do this.

"Two."

She really, really did not want to fall.

"Three!"

Here goes nothing!

She and Kyra race to link arms as they try to find the right balance of weight between them. As expected, they fail miserably as Kassandra pushed too hard at first, causing Kyra to slip. They crash down with a thud ending up with Kyra landing on top of her.

"I think I bruised my tailbone." Kassandra complains as she shifts her weight to one side to relieve the pressure. 

"Get up you big baby. We don't have the luxury of complaining." Kyra sighed out perturbed as she got back up to her feet.

"That's easy for you to say... I was your personal pillow! I think your elbow hit a rib." Kassandra rubs her side where the impact was.

"All the more incentive for you to get it right with me this time, wouldn't you say?" Kyra comments as she extends her hand out to her.

Kassandra knew she was right, she usually is, so she begrudgingly takes her extended hand and holds tight as the ship shifts beneath them. After the movement subsides, they try again, and again, and again. Frustration was an understatement as they would get so close only to get jostled and have to start all over again, but they had no other option.

"Kyra, we have to get this right." Kassandra looks to her with determination blazing in her eyes. "This will not be the end of our story, I promise you."

Kyra nods and they both hold on as the ship is jerked about and, once the worst has come to pass, they seize the opportunity. Their backs press together, linking arm in arm, and they begin their ascent. Left, right, left, right, steps they've taken before but never have they maintained the hold for this long.

"Push!" Kyra shouts as she plants her feet closer together near the lock.

Kassandra does just that. 

With all the might that she has, she pushes against the bars as Kyra does the same. There was not much room for error and there wasn't much time. Kassandra was attuned to every new sound made and she could begin to smell the sea heavily. The hatch had not budged so the only explanation was that there was a hole forming somewhere and she really didn't want to find out where.

"I feel it!" Kyra strains. "I can feel it moving!"

Finally some progress! Only problem is that she knows the joy is short lived because their time for this round is up. She doesn't want to give up the momentum so she decides to try to keep their positions.

"Spread your stance, quick, else we'll fall and brace yourself!"

No sooner do they make the adjustments does the ship jostle and the harsh vibration pulsates through their limbs. Kassandra feels the motion and adjusts to it, hoping Kyra is able to do the same. She closes her eyes, awaiting the inevitable drop, but it never comes. The ship steadies and she recognizes that neither she nor Kyra had slipped. The odds of them being able to balance out so perfectly was slim, but they did it. Now it was time to finish the job.

"I think we just need one more good push and we'll have this open. Let's do this!" Kyra encourages as they both adjust their stances.

Kassandra is ready. She's more than ready.

"Now!" Kyra yells and they both give it all they've got.

Kassandra can feel her muscles straining and her legs becoming increasingly fatigued by the second. She's not even sure how Kyra is managing to do this given the rather sorry state she has been in, but still she holds steady. Sweat pours down her own face and into her eyes. She squints to try to numb the sting since she can't just wipe it away from her brow, but it does little good. This would all be worth it, she had to believe that. 

Time yet again was running out, but before she could tell Kyra to brace, she heard the metal lock snap and (if that wasn't enough) she felt the impact of the drop. With the door now successfully broken, there was no counter leverage and their bodies dropped hard to the floor below. Neither she nor Kyra could cushion the impact so they landed firmly on their tailbones, smacking their heads off one another's.

"Ah, fuck!" Kassandra hisses out as she releases her strained arms free of Kyra grasp. 

She felt a sharp pain radiating through her right shoulder when she tried to move it. Glancing over at it, she could see her arm hanging lower than it was before. Odds are she had dislocated it in the fall as she tried to reach down to soften the blow, but it only made it worse. She would live and it was nothing that couldn't be fixed in time, but it could not have come at a more inopportune moment. 

A moaning Kyra gives her a small sliver of relief since it meant she was still conscious. Their heads collided hard so it would have been easy for the hit to do some damage.

Kassandra wanted to just lay there a moment as everything hurt, but the sudden feel of water against her back told her that they needed to move. As she tries to sit up, she's tossed onto her bad shoulder and winces in the pain. 

"Gods... fuuuck!" Kassandra groans out as she rolls onto her stomach to ease the pressure.

She taps her head in the cool water in an attempt to pull her attention from her arm. She focuses on the chill it sends through her body as it seeps itself into her clothes. Using that mentality and her good arm, she pushes herself up with her good arm into a kneeling position.

Looking to Kyra still on the ground, Kassandra checks her status. "Are you good to move?"

"I think so?" 

Kyra's answer was not confident, but it didn't need to be.

"The ship is flooding and it will only get worse. We need to get above ground before we can make our next move."

Kassandra uses what little leg strength she has to force herself to stand, rising just before Kyra. Kassandra gives her a precursory once over to look for any visible injuries and is satisfied that she has none.

"Your arm..." Kyra comments as she reaches out to hover over the dislocated limb. "Can you move it?"

"No. It hurts too much." Kassandra winces in pain as she tries to show Kyra.

"Well don't try to move it you fool!" 

"We don't have the time to fix it now so I will have to just deal with the pain and fight though it."

"Fight through it? Kassandra, your shoulder isn't even in place! You could probably not even open a door yet alone use it in any sort of combat. We need to set it."

Kassandra's sharp look is met tenfold by Kyra. She's clearly unwilling to budge on this and Kassandra would prefer the range of motion again.

"Fine."

She waits until the ship lulls before she grabs her right wrist with her left hand. Slowly but firmly pulls her arm forward and straight in front of her. She feels her shoulder pop back into place, but the pain doesn't lessen any. This is not the first time this has happened to her, but this is the first time she's not felt a sense of relief. There was still a prominent ache radiating through her whole upper right side which meant that she must've torn a muscle or worse. It would all heal, but the issue was she did not have the luxury of time to wait this out. She would need to keep the arm isolated to not cause any further damage. 

It seemed Kyra understood what needed to happen because she reached down and began ripping a long stretch of cloth from her own clothes. 

"Let me help you." Kyra asks so gently that she couldn't possibly say no. 

Kyra takes the damp cloth and carefully cradles Kassandra's injured arm to her chest. It was more secure than anything she could have done on her own and, because of Kyra, she could rest easier knowing it was tied securely.

How different her life has become now that she has someone she can not only rely on, but someone she could trust unequivocally. Everything she was used to dealing with alone was now with the helping hands of Kyra. With her challenges, she had Kyra right beside her to support her. When she was injured, she had Kyra by her side to help nurse her back to health. There was sure to be a harrowing battle before the night was over, but she had Kyra fighting by her side. 

"I'm sorry that this isn't much, but I don't have the proper materials." Kyra apologizes, but Kassandra isn't having any of that. 

Reaching out with her good arm, Kassandra cradles Kyra's face into her palm. "Thank you love, I could not have done a better job."

The moment was so soft, so tender, a stark contrast to everything she once stood for. How love changes even the most lost of hearts, illuminating a small glow to ensure there always is a way home. Kyra was her light in the darkness and that is what she would remember when it mattered most. 

The truth is, Kassandra was not confident at all that she would live through this ordeal. Her odds weren't very good before, but now with her arm out of commission, she was a lost cause. Her plan for them escaping had be shot the moment the storm hit. There was no way they would survive going overboard with waters so dangerous. She was more of a hindrance than a help and she would only slow Kyra down when it came time to act. Her new plan was to ensure Kyra's safety at all costs.

She would not let Kyra in on this for obvious reasons as she would be vehemently opposed to it. Kyra was too selfless for her own good and Kassandra would not be the one to allow her to put herself in harm's way to protect her. Kassandra had said it before and she would say it every minute of every day. Kyra was the future. There was nothing she couldn't do and she was the key to this war and bringing peace back into Greece. Her altruistic nature would lay a new foundation for this war and if anyone could find middle ground, it would be her. Kassandra could never prioritize her own life over Kyra's knowing what she does and, most importantly, feeling the way she does.

Kyra never asked for any of this and was only here because of her. She would not be able to live with herself knowing she brought Kyra to her demise. A life without her was no life at all and she would give her very last breath if it meant Kyra got another. She would step into the scorching hellfire and brimstone if that meant Kyra could walk free. There is no line she would not cross for her.

"Kassandra? Are you with me?" She hears Kyra ask, but she doesn't have an answer for her.

It feels like she'd be lying to her yet again if she agrees with Kyra on this and she couldn't leave this world knowing she had been untrue to her yet again. She would need to change the subject as omitting an answer wasn't lying, at least that's what she was telling herself.

"We need to figure out the hatch." Kassandra changes topics. "It is locked from the other side and we don't have the leverage on our side this time."

"That's what I was thinking about." Kyra answers, accepting the shift in conversation. "I don't think we can get it, but perhaps we can be loud enough that we can get someone's attention. What do you think?"

"You seem to be right lately so I trust whatever you think we should do."

"It isn't ideal by any means, but we'll be hard to ignore."

"If you want to start with that, I'm going to have a look and see what I can find for a weapon. I'd rather us not go up there empty handed if possible."

Kyra moves towards her until her body is almost flush up against her, taking great care to not hit her arm. She returns Kassandra's earlier gesture of cupping her face, but hers is with both hands and it doesn't stop there. Kyra pulls her face forward into a kiss that says more than any set of words can. A simple kiss, but its powers are anything but. Feeling her lips on her own, Kassandra feels renewed in her mind, body, and spirit. Kyra pulls back only to press their foreheads together as another sign of intimacy and her heart swells. If her past self could see her now, she'd never believe this real for a second.

How far she's come from the angry and closed off woman who kept herself guarded from the world. It had been working, that was not in question, but she cannot even fathom what kind of life it was anymore. Knowing how much better, how much more fulfilled she feels with Kyra... What she lived before, it wasn't living. She was surviving at best and she lived each day like it made no difference. 

There was little joy in her life and whenever it presented itself, she turned it away. Being happy was for the weak of mind because where there was happiness, there was disappointment. Kassandra didn't have many fears, but one she could recognize now was a fear to be let down. The more happy and comfortable she felt, the greater the fall when it inevitably went wrong. It always did. She didn't always enjoy being such a pessimistic person, but she could only take so much more before she wouldn't be able to stand back up. It was just easier to never have to deal with it again so if she removed herself from ever wishing for it, it would soften the blow. Only that was a fever dream because she was human after all and that meant the blows would keep coming. Kassandra had to pretend that she was indifferent, but she couldn't shut herself down to stop caring (as much as she wished she could've). 

She thinks of Nikolaus and how, even in dying, held true to his actions with no regret. He stayed firm with his loyalty to Sparta above all else and Kassandra didn't want it to sting after all these years, but the words cut her deeper than any blade could. Hearing him say that he would make the same choice if it happened again was soul crushing. She had foolishly held out this hope that he would regret dropping her from Mount Taygetos that night, but he didn't. He felt a guilt, of that she was sure, but it wasn't strong enough to make him want to change. All her walls built to protect her from a desire to care, a desire for empathy, cracked but did not break. 

Contrary to what she had told others, she did not walk into that conversation wishing his death upon the man who helped raise her. He was despicable for what he did, but he was still her _pater_. She still had some sort of love for him, even after all that had passed between them. She wanted to have him regret everything and turn back time. She needed to know that it ate at him to a point where it hurt too, like it did for her. As angry as she was when she confronted him, she still was wanting him to say _something_ to prove his penance... but he didn't. She had set herself up with expectations and a false hope of some redemption, only for him to swipe her legs out from beneath her. Knowing that he would do it again... that his sense of duty took precedent over his love for her... It made her decision.

She has had plenty of time to mull over her decision, to doubt herself, but she knows she did the right thing. His selfishness hurt her and her family in a way she never wished on another and it would not fix the damage, but it was a good start. Kassandra knows it was a set up from the beginning, a ploy by the cult to eliminate her family, but what always got her was how readily he was able to do it. Alexios was his own flesh and blood and he allowed for him to be "sacrificed" for the sake of the Oracle. He didn't blink an eye as he handed him over to the man she would later kill to get revenge for her brother. She can remember her mater's screaming and pleading as she was held back, but Nikolaus was a free man and did nothing. In one night, he had killed them all of a life they had deserved. He had stolen her youth and her family.

Her mater was a mystery for years and years, hiding in the shadows and never staying in a place for too long, it made her difficult to track down. Then there was her brother, her sweet baby brother, that she had thought dead but was anything but. Learning that the cult had him and had poisoned his mind had cause a hole in her heart that has never been healed. She would have tried to find him if she knew...

Alexios was now many things, but he was her little brother above all else. She found her mind haunted by her brother for as long as she's known he survived that fateful night. She has spent countless hours trying to find him since to show that he has her, but he rejects her at every turn. He cannot see what they've done to him and she feels responsible for allowing them to get him. She should have tried to search for him, to do something more than flee, but she was so confused... so scared. Alexios deserves to be more than a puppet. His life was always of more value to her than anyone else, even after everything he's done.

She loved Alexios, but her actions were driven by an unrequited love. Kassandra knew she had no strong value in his life, but that didn't deter her from trying to save him. However, that being said, the way she feels at this very moment is a stark contrast to her entire mission for him. He no longer was her end goal and he no longer had a hold on her actions. She still loved him, that had not changed, but she could look past her love for the greater good for the first time in her life. He would always be her brother, but she no longer felt the need to live and breathe for him. She could see him for what he truly was now because he had finally crossed a line that was irredeemable. He had a hand in hurting Kyra and that was something she could never forgive.

Although she's not seem him firsthand, she knows he was on the ship at some point or another. He was the one that confronted them on Mykonos and he was the in charge of the men who had done her so much harm. He may not have lifted a finger personally, but he was a part of the group that did which made him guilty by association. The only question she wrestled with now is if she would be able to kill him if it came to it. Her answer would have always been a hard no, but now, if it meant Kyra would be safe, she found herself thinking "yes" for the first time. Kyra's life was worth more than his by leagues and putting him down (if necessary) would be a necessary choice.

"Please be careful, Kassandra." Kyra whispers softly against her lips before she takes a step back. "You're not indestructible and I need you in one piece." 

It makes her feel guilty for her thoughts hearing Kyra talk to her like this. Here she was planning to sacrifice herself when Kyra was telling her to be cautious. It was touching and sweet of her to do, but it couldn't change anything. Kassandra had to ensure her safety at whatever cost necessary. She would do whatever it takes to ensure that, even if it meant taking down Alexios. As soon as they got the hatch open, everyone would be fair game.

With Kyra pounding against the latched hatch, Kassandra goes back to the torch and removes it from its sconce. She would need to take extra precaution to not get it wet as the flame was only a fraction of what it once was. Any misting spray would easily extinguish what remains and she couldn't protect it with her arm stuck to her chest. She would need to test her grip though because if she found weapons for them, she could not carry all of it back with one hand. Tentatively, she places the torch in her right hand, being careful to not release it until she was sure she could carry it. 

She would squeeze the handle and feel the pain shoot up her arm, but she needed to make this happen. Each time she'd grip just a bit harder and, even with teeth gritted, she was able to keep it steady(ish). It couldn't have come at a better time as the ship lurched around and her left hand was her saving grace as she threw it forward to catch herself from tripping over some rope. 

The deeper into the hull she got, the less the flame illuminated her surroundings and it was almost as bad as her flailing around in the dark. She had no idea what she could possibly find, but anything sharp would do. As her attention goes to her surroundings, she fails to notice her grip weakening and the torch slipping further and further down her hand until a particularly hot ember strikes her thumb.

"Malaka!" Kassandra yelps as her grip relents its hold on the torch out of instinct. Scrambling to save the flame, she manages to swat the torch to her right and, to both her luck and her horror, she ignites a discarded sail that catches instantly. The darkness all but disappeared, but the ship was made of wood and everything in it was also wood so this could catch the whole ship on fire before they had the opportunity to sink.

"Oh fuck! No, no, no!" Kassandra panics as she's torn between risking the ship being set ablaze by searching for a weapon or extinguishing the flames and saving the boat, but being unarmed.

She only has a split second to decide and risks the ship as she overturns everything in her vicinity. So many useless crates filled with nothing special and there was so much garbage just scattered everywhere that she's surprised they hadn't been overrun by rats. The search was looking fruitless until Kassandra pushes over an opened crate and hears a distinct "clank" of a heavier object striking wood. 

She moves to her right and reaches down to grab what ends up being a mallet and chisel. "Thank the gods, now that's what I'm talking about!"

Sure, they weren't ideal, but considering where they were, it was the best option. She now needed to hurry and put out the fire she accidentally started before it hit anything major. Using her bad hand to hold the tools, Kassandra holds on to one of the crates beside her and kicks the ever rising water towards the blazing inferno. The smoke was getting thick and her visibility was fading fast, but she was making headway. It took a few minutes before it the fire subsided and her legs were tired, but she did it. Nothing could ever be easy and just work according to plan, something always had to complicate an already complicated situation.

Her problem now was that she couldn't see a thing as the torch was wet and long gone and she didn't even stop to think about using some of the fire from the sail. The ship was a large one, it had to be, which meant she was now lost in the dark in something huge. Great. Just fucking great.

The water had risen to just about her shins from the ankles when they were in the cage so at least she had that going for her. The hole has to be higher up on one the sides or else she and Kyra would have both been swimming by now. If she had to guess, she'd say the water was only getting in when they got pelted on one side. Useful information to know, but it isn't like she could just tell the captain and have him shift course. All that mattered at this point anyway is for them to reach the deck, but she was still a long way from it.

As careful as Kassandra tried to be, Poseidon had other plans. She hit just about any object in range with every body part. Her head had hit a low setting beam, her knees had rammed into several crate corners, and her bad arm had felt the brunt of many missteps. It also didn't help that she had no idea if she was even walking in the right direction.

"Kyra! Kyra, can you hear me?" Kassandra shouted over and over, but there never came a response. The thunder from Zeus was an almost constant around her and her voice (as loud as it may have been) was no match when he was angry. Every bump felt familiar and she wouldn't be surprised if she'd managed to walk herself in a circle. Most ships had a relatively open floorplan, but there was so much clutter that it made traversing almost impossible. Makes her wonder how anyone did this even if they could see.

A crack of lightning strikes the water near her and, while deafening, it also gave her a short glimpse as to where she was. It also confirmed other more vital information. It was most certainly night time and the moon had to have been shrouded by storm clouds which explained why it was exceptionally dark. Kassandra decided to stay put until the next strike so she could get an outline of what was ahead of her to keep her body from hitting anything in sight and to hopefully recognize where she was. While she waited, she took the opportunity to count the gaps in between the thunder to know how close the storm was to see if it was approaching or receding.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven..." 

Boom. 

Eleven seconds away for now. It must be quite the storm if they were feeling it from here already. 

Another flash of lightning strikes and Kassandra doesn't recognize anything, but it does show her the way and that was at least something. Trying her best to follow the path she saw, Kassandra moved forward slowly with a much greater success rate than before and her bumps were thankfully minimal. Her arm stung immensely, but her grip held as she couldn't risk dropping the items and she needed her free hand to steady herself.

Another strike flashed around her as the thunder roared. She still didn't know where she was, but sooner or later she would reach something she knew or find another way up. Surely there was a hatch on both the bow and stern and it was unlikely that they would lock both of them. Kassandra had guessed by the short walks they would take when they were being interrogated that they were located closer to the stern as that's where everything important would be. No sea captain would ever be dumb enough to put anything like what they got brought into on the bow as it would greatly impede their vision.

The thunder and the wind making its way through the wood made for a loud and harrowing sound, but as she moved forward, she heard something new. It was faint, but it sounded like banging. There was no set cadence to it, but it gave her a direction to head towards. The closer she got, the more it sounded like there was a voice screaming along with it.

"Kyra!" Kassandra shouts as she stumbles along. "Kyra! Is that you?"

"Kassandra?" Kyra shouts back. "Where are you? I can't see a damn thing!"

"Just keep yelling and I'll make my way to you."

"That I can do because these PIECE OF DOG SHITS CAN ALL CHOKE ON THEIR OWN TONGUES WHEN I RIP THEM FROM THEIR THROATS AND FEED IT TO THEM!" Kyra angrily berates as her fist pounds away at the wooden hatch.

The profanities fly and the aggressive banging continues enough for her to find their cell and step back inside it. She was exhausted and she couldn't keep going like this without taking a break.

"Kyra, come back to the cell, I have something that will help us. Don't waste your efforts anymore."

Kassandra couldn't stand and there was nowhere for her to sit without getting wet so she accepts the uncomfortable feeling of the water hitting her waist as she slinks down the bars, fully submerging her lower half.

"The light is only slightly brighter than it was before, but Kassandra can see Kyra's silhouette coming into view. 

"I found a hammer and chisel that we can use to chip off the lock." Kassandra says as she takes the items with her left hand and holds them out for Kyra.

Kyra accepts the items, but quickly crouches down so she's at Kassandra's level. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm fine, I'm just tired." Kassandra brushes off her concern, but Kyra wasn't budging.

"You're not fine. Fine is not sitting in cold water up to your hips when we could be getting out of here. Fine is not what you are and I don't know why you're pretending otherwise. Talk to me."

Kassandra can't argue with her as she wasn't wrong. She wasn't fine, but she needed to be. She needed to fine and so she would be. "I promise I will be fine, I just needed to rest for a moment. I may have overdone it when I accidentally started a fire while I was looking and I had to frantically splash water to keep it from spreading and then I hit just about every single crate one this god damn ship with my legs. My arm is killing me and me smacking it all about was not helping it. So no, you're right, I'm not fine, but I need to be so I will be."

Kyra brushes a wet strand of her hair away from her forehead and tucks it behind her ear. "I will get us out of here, you just stay here and get your bearings. If you need me, just tell say so and I'll rush back."

Kassandra won't need the attention, but she is thankful for the offer anyway. What she needs is sleep that she's not had in at least a day by now. What she needs is rest so her body can heal itself. It never takes her very long to recover, but she cannot do it when she's exhausted. Closing her eyes, she leans her head back into the corner and takes a few deep breaths. 

She focuses on the water and the feel of it chilling her skin. She listens for Kyra as she hacks away at the only thing blocking them from the deck. She tries to focus on willing herself to stand because she needs to be on her best. There would be time to rest once they got out of here. How she looked forward to sleeping an entire day away with Kyra tucked safely in her arms. 

"Kassandra, I got it all but broken off. We can make a move whenever you are ready."

This was it. This was the largest hurdle they both had to face. There would be no mercy and there was no turning back. When they climbed up, it would be them against with world. It would be time for her to enact her new plan.

"Help me up, please?" Kassandra asks and Kyra moves to lift her up, taking care to not hit her arm. 

"What is the plan now?" Kyra looks to her for an answer. "We'll get to the top and then what?"

"We wait."

"We wait?"

"Think about it. They would spot the opening and send someone down to investigate. We wait for them to come to us and we pick them off. The less we have to deal with, the better. They'll most likely only send one person to start with so if you pull their attention, I can take them out."

"Are you sure I shouldn't be the one to attack?"

"I'm sure because this won't be the only person so we can rotate. I need to do this." Kassandra speaks this with such a conviction that she believes it. Truth is, she needed to do this for herself, but she would not go too aggressive at the start. She knew she was in bad shape so if she was to pose a threat, she needed to pace herself.

"I'll break the hatch and go back in the cell. You should stand behind here and wait." Kyra motions to a high stack of crates. "Which would you prefer? The mallet or the chisel?"

"Mallet."

Kassandra wanted Kyra to have the better weapon in case anything went south.

Kyra hands it over to her, but her hand holds on tight to her own. "I love you, Kassandra. May the gods be on our sides for the journey ahead."

Kassandra doesn't say anything back, she finds she can't. The severity of what is looming above them is strong and she's accepting the fact that she won't make it out of this alive. She doesn't dare say anything for the fear of her resolve crumbling. Her fate was sealed and she needed to face it.

She watches as Kyra yanks away the hatch, allowing it to crash into the water below before she treads back to her spot. Now it became a waiting game. Thankfully, it didn't take long at all. The moonlight filtering in from the new opening became eclipsed indicating that someone was on their way down. The splash of their boots submerging in water helped Kassandra track his location as he waded through. Once he got close enough, Kyra shouted to get his attention. Sensing the opportunity, she kicked into action.

Kassandra charges forward and throws the mallet into the man's helmet. She rushed forward and catches the cultists by the throat, applying a death grip. Wasting no time, she forces him back with a newfound strength and slams him hard against the hull. She watches as he scrapes at her chest to try to get free, but she can tune out the pain she feels in her injured arm to take him down. She could try to move him in a headlock, but the margin for error was high considering her handicap. She had no choice but to be lethal.

Kassandra doesn't waste anymore of their limited time trying to be a pacifist so she, instead, crushes his windpipe with her bare hand. It wasn't a quick death and the man would suffocate painfully for a couple minutes before death consumed him. It was not a method she condoned as a rule, but despite times call for desperate measures. 

Watching the man gasp for air that would never come captivated her in a way she's never been before. There was a bloodlust she felt rise within her that felt unhinged and carnal, something dangerous if left unchecked. Kassandra didn't just kill for fun, but this all felt different. These people have tried to hunt her for sport for an eternity it seems, making her life miserable. Kassandra didn't understand what made her special enough to be at the top of the list, but she wouldn't lose any sleep knowing another one of them would be lost to their plagued cause. Killing them is a service that she's happy to provide and she will do it by any means necessary.

Kassandra was now free and only an act by the gods could stop her from enacting her revenge by slaughtering everyone onboard now that her back was to the wall.

"What was that about? What were you thinking?" Kyra reprimands. "You just threw the mallet and took him out with your bare hand. Why did you think that was a good idea??"

"I handled it." Kassandra brushes off Kyra's worries. "He died and that was the goal anyway."

"The goal was for us to make this out alive and it will be hard to do that when you're doing stupid stuff like this. Can you just please be careful and think?"

"I knew what I was doing Kyra, this wasn't my first fight."

"Maybe not, but you're barely put together and I'd like you to stay at least mildly assembled. I didn't bring you back into my heart to have you disassembled before my eyes."

"What would you have me do then?"

"Taking this man's dagger is a good start." Kyra comments as she picks up the weapon, offering it out to Kassandra.

"This isn't my spear, but it will do in a pinch." Kassandra comments as she holds the blade to get a feel for its weight.

"I believe you said we were rotating so you should get into place."

Before Kassandra could protest, another part of the ship splinters and the snap it makes jumps both her and Kyra. 

"Change of plans," Kassandra chimes in, "we need to get up on deck now before we don't have a choice."

"There's going to be too many of them, so you think we can do it?"

"I think with you behind me, that I can take on anything. I will go up first and make sure it is clear and I'll motion you when it is safe to come up." 

"Whoa, whoa... why are you the one going up? You're in no condition to fend off multiple attackers so if anyone is going up, it's me."

"I can do it Kyra, I just want you safe."

"And you don't think I want that for you? I want to protect you too and I am tired of your macho bravado that you can't seem to shake. I'm not frail and I can take care of myself so just shut up and let me take care of it."

Kyra doesn't wait for a response and she wades her way towards the hatch and climbs up out of view. Kassandra panics at the thought of Kyra being outnumbered so she follows suit. Her climb up is much slower than usual, but she manages it and is hit with the intensity of the wind. It pelts the rain on her skin and she can feel the impact on every piece of her exposed skin. The visibility is very poor, but Kassandra is able to spot Kyra fighting with two men. 

She doesn't waste anytime in rushing forward and slamming herself into one of the men, allowing Kyra the opportunity to kill the cultist. Kassandra takes her dagger and plunges it deep into his chest before she hops back up on the defensive. 

Kyra shoots her a look, but Kassandra doesn't have time to unpack what it means because she can see seven men running right for them. Standing back to back, the two women fall into a balance they've grown to know as second nature. Even with their injuries and their fatigue, they were a force to be reckoned with. However, it proved to be too much. There were too many of them and they were only going to be trapped if they stayed put. 

Kassandra decides then and there that she would draw as many men to her as possible. She breaks off from Kyra and pushes her way through the men, feeling every impact as it jostles her arm.

"Come get me!" Kassandra shouts against the wind and it did the trick. She manages to run to the edge of the deck before she slips and almost falls overboard. The cultists have her surrounded and this would be her final stand. 

Fighting the good fight, Kassandra swings and she swings with all her might. She parries all the blows and she finds herself on the defensive more than anything offensive. Her eyes roam to Kyra where she is holding her own and dropping them at a steady pace.

Standing tall at the edge of the deck, Kassandra found herself caught off guard in the worst of ways. Time all but stood still as Kassandra watched as her own spear pierced her abdomen. The man had come out of nowhere and she was far too focused on keeping Kyra safe that she forgot she needed to be on guard for herself.

Kassandra felt as the sharp tip peeled through her skin like it was a thin piece of cloth and cringed as it nestle deep within her gut before it stopped on gods knows what. Her eyes glued to her most trusty and faithful of weapons protruding from just below her bellybutton. Her only free hand reached out of instinct to touch the end of the broken spear, running her fingers as close to the tip as she could get before the shock took hold.

Pulling her hand away, Kassandra saw the crimson red coating her fingers as the blood began to trickle down her wrist and onto her forearm. The blood was warm, even with the chill of the air whipping around her. Her body began to react and as strong as she was, she knew she couldn't stay standing for much longer. Her eyes move slowly from her spear to the man responsible and, to her surprise, she recognized him. She knew this man although his name eluded her, but she knew they had crossed paths before. His features were as sharp as his nose and his scruffy appearance seemed misleading because he was anything but unkempt. He was a dangerous man and she knew it. 

Kassandra wants to fight back, she wants to take him down with her, but she just can't get her body to cooperate. It's taking all her energy to just even stand, yet alone fight back. Still, she would not die so easily and she moves her unsteady hand to the end of her spear. Using everything she had, Kassandra slowly pulls out the spear and almost drops it as it comes cleanly out. She may have her weapon back, but the blood that was but a steady trickle was now a heavier flow. Without the spear to block the entrance, there was nothing stopping her blood from making a hasty exit. 

Pure adrenaline alone was the only thing keeping her from passing out, but she knew her time was running out at a rapid pace. The man before her looks at her smugly with an evil glint in his eyes as her legs hold no longer, dropping her to her knees.

"You know, I expected better from the infamous Eagle Bearer. Such tales of your heroics and bravery, but all I see is a pathetic waste of space. You have rotted the soil for the seeds of our future for the last time. Your family is but a stain on steps of greatness and I couldn't be happier to weed you out. Shame you had to bring your pet along though... I never wanted her killed, but you've forced my hand. She is a smart woman and would have made a reputable ally if shown the right path, a path I tried to show her with a letter."

"That was you? But why?" Kassandra implores, needing to know just why this all happened.

"It was simple. We needed you and she was in the way. We never wanted her until you showed such an interest. She was able to accomplish what our best men could not and it all tied back to you for her motivation. We have eyes and ears everywhere, Eagle Bearer. Did you think your actions that night on the beach had no consequence? You showed a weakness and it was my responsibility to the world to make you suffer for it. I wonder how she'll feel knowing her death was all because of you? You should have left it well enough alone, but you didn't and now you have to pay for it."

Her breaths were getting more labored by the second, but she was not done with him yet. "I will... kill... you..." 

"I think you won't be doing anything of the sorts. In fact, I'd say you're the one who's one step closer to Hades. How does it feel to know that everything you've ever done is a waste? Your whole life of this false justice was for naught and for what? To prove to the world that you were someone better than you ever could be? You will always be nothing!"

"Who-, who are you?" Kassandra forces out as her world begins to fade out like the pull of the tides.

"I am your worst nightmare."

With his final words echoing deep within the recess of her mind, Kassandra does the only thing she can. Using her anger, she wills herself to swing her spear. It was nowhere near a lethal blow, but it did catch this man clear across the right side of his face. A deep gash was what remained as the man recoiled backwards.

"You insolent vermin! I am going to kill you and then I'm going to kill her good and slow. I will make her beg for death before I'm finished with her. It's just a shame you won't be there to see it"

The man stalks towards her, grabbing the her by the collar, hoisting her up so she's standing once more. He retreats immediately and Kassandra wanted to advance on him, but the blood loss was making her feel woozy. 

He lines himself up with her and she knows what's to come and is helpless to stop it. Her eyes drift from him to where she had last seen Kyra as she wanted her to be the last thing she sees. Kassandra finds her, but it isn't the vision she wishes to leave to. Kyra was struggling with three men to try to get to her. Kyra was fighting not for herself, but for _her_ as her body thrashed in their grasp. Anguish evident in her face as her she fought to be free, but there was no use. They were too strong and not even love could beat the sheer force of their might. She had promised Kyra this would not be the end of their story, but that was a lie. Hopefully Kyra would be able to forgive her in the afterlife.

Kassandra hears the heavy steps coming her way and she knows she's got only seconds left. This would be her final opportunity to say what she should have been saying since they met. They would be her last words and she only could pray that they were heard.

"I love you."

The man's boot connects with her wrapped arm covering her chest and she is propelled backwards from the deck of the ship, falling overboard into the raging waters below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, at least she's _technically_ off the ship


	34. Dance With You (Aries) (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been sitting on this for long enough and while it isn't what I wanted length wise, I didn't want to deprive you all of the progress I did make. Far too many distractions popped up so I've extended the chapters and will do the rest (most likely) in parts to make it more obtainable. That all said, I think you'll find that most of the journey I have left to tell will be unexpected. I took this a new direction that even I didn't know of until it happened so I hope you enjoy the twist.
> 
> Dance With You (Aries) - Karmin  
> https://youtu.be/CiNMjy0xoU8

_Touch_

Kassandra could still feel the impression of his boot against her as she plummeted like a stone into the violent waters. She could feel the rain drops as they slam across her exposed flesh, stinging at every little droplet. She could feel the winds gusting without mercy and in every which way. She could feel the smack of the tide collide with her back and the instant chill it sent through her body. She could feel the sting of the salt water infiltrating her open wound in her stomach, a burning sensation to counteract the cold of the water. She could feel all the air escaping her lungs as she gasped for a breath of nothingness. 

_Smell_

She could smell the sea air as it whipped around her, taunting her in such a way to show its freedom. She could smell its pungent yet sweet aroma as it cradled her ever so. A scent so familiar yet completely undefined, a smell she had grown to love as she spent more and more time on the sea. She could smell her blood as it traversed her outside of body, parading itself about like it was meant to be exposed rather than safely confined within her.

_Sight_

She could see the silhouette of the man responsible for this looming over the railing, watching as she made her descent. Her vision blurring by both the loss of her blood and the heavy rain as it pelted her face. She could barely see the outlines of the men who stood idly by as she continued to fall, mocking her ever so. 

_Taste_

She could taste the salt as it smuggled its way past her lips and onto her taste buds. A taste she had grown accustomed to, once calming, now bursts with an intensity. She can taste the metaphorical essence of defeat, putrid and rancid, an unnatural flavor to her.

_Sound_

She could hear the thunder as it rolled across the clouds, banging with no rhyme or reason. She could hear the creaking of the ship as it tossed about the waters she was soon to be acquainted with. She could hear the jeers from those men who cornered her and trapped her like a wounded animal backed in a corner. She could hear the sound of her heartbeat as it slammed into her chest as her body anticipated the worst.

_Sensory overload_

Kassandra could sense _everything_.

Everything. Every touch, smell, sight, taste, and sound reverberated within her all at once. She is weightless yet feels overburdened, she is gliding through the air yet she's frozen solid. She could hear both nothing and everything at the same time. For each millisecond she fell, the worse her surroundings intensified. Everything she could possibly react to, she did, and the wide open seas became tight and encompassing. She had fresh air to breathe, but it was suffocating. Kassandra was not one to ever urge death to her doorstep, but now, in this moment, she welcomed it with open arms.

The momentum of the fall plunged her beyond the surface of the water and it dragged her deep within its depths. It was a welcomed relief as the overburdening elements of the world became muted in an instant. She felt herself in a sort of peaceful trance, wondering if this is how dying is for everyone. For the first time in a long time, she felt nothing at all. A sweet, blissful moment that time stood still. The world had come to a deafening halt so she closes her eyes and accepts her fate. Her body floats lifelessly in the undercurrents and, as quickly as her life began, she could feel it end.

Kassandra wondered what it would be like to die, but she never had expected it so soon. Her mind was still conscious for what she could tell, but there was just something a little off about who she was. She could see herself sinking deeper and deeper under the water, but she couldn't _do_ anything about it. It was like she was seeing double because the vision in front of her was clearly her, but she also was her... It made no sense at all. How could she possibly be in two places at once? It was impossible!

"Am I dead?" Kassandra thinks as she bobs along within arms length of her other self. "I can see me, but I'm me, at least, I think I am?" 

Kassandra forgets she's underwater and inhales out of habit, but finds no resistance. Her lungs do not fill with water as they should and the water around her is behaving more like air than sea. "I also can, apparently, breathe underwater which is not something I could do before. What is happening?!"

She goes to reach out to touch the other Kassandra's arm, but there is an invisible barrier that pushes her hand backwards in a shock.

"Ow!" Kassandra winces as she recoils her hand which claps over her mouth as she figures out she just spoke like she wasn't leagues under the sea.

"Ohhhh fuuuuuck..." Kassandra draws out and, again, she can hear herself clear as day. "This is not good. This is not good at all."

Here she was, underwater, but she didn't need to tread to keep in place. Her body just sort of hovered, but she could feel the water around her so she was, in essence, swimming. She could feel its resistance as she moved her limbs around, but she couldn't seem to move. What did this all mean? What kind of a world had she gone to? Sure, she wasn't the beacon of an ideal person, but she didn't think her deeds in life would have landed her in whatever tribulation this was. There was far too much water for it to be Hades from the legends told to her as a young girl. This seemed vacant and void of any other life (for now at least) and it, at best, seemed like an abyss of loneliness.

"Hello?" Kassandra speaks out timidly, afraid of both what might answer back and what might not. "Can anyone hear me?"

Silence.

"Hey! Is anyone out there?" Kassandra tries again, this time her voice is a bit louder.

Still, she gets no response.

"This isn't funny!" Kassandra yells, a simmering anger festering beneath the surface. "What is happening? Who is responsible for this? I demand an answer!"

"You are in no position to be making demands, _misthios_." A voice echoes through the water from behind her.

Kassandra spins around, but, to her surprise, there's not a soul in sight.

"Show yourself!" Kassandra demands as she continues to shift around in hopes of locating the mystery voice. "Face me!"

"You ask for what you do not know. You want what you cannot have. Does this desperate pursuit of the unobtainable thrill you?" The voice speaks again, but she can't pinpoint a direction. 

It sounds like a woman is speaking to her, but she can't see anyone. The waters are dark from the storm so her visibility is poor and she can barely see her hand as it extends out in front of her. This ordeal was disorienting enough, yet alone feeling like whoever is speaking has her completely surrounded.

"You talk in riddles yet only cowards do so when they are afraid of revealing the truth. Do you fear me knowing? Speak your truth." Kassandra offers the challenge. She's faced a Sphinx before and bested it so she was feeling confident she could do it again. She was willing to do anything to find out what was going on.

The voice drops into a whisper, raising the hairs on the back of her neck as she feels a warm breath from behind. "You speak of cowardice like it is not an old friend. Do you think yourself above such a title?"

Kassandra resists the urge to look, knowing full well that she'll see nothing there if she does. This must be a test of some sort, but for what, she's got no idea. She will play along for now until she can figure more out.

"I am no coward." Kassandra states with conviction. "If you knew me, you'd know that."

"Oh but Kassandra, I do know you... I know you very well and I believe you know what I speak of."

"You know nothing about me and I don't have any idea of what you're hinting at. Why not just show yourself so we can talk about it?" Kassandra was already tiring of the mind games, her patience could be great, but the condescending nature of all this was taking its toll.

"So impatient and so naive. You think you can command tasks like I am nothing but a slave? That you think you hold any power over me is pitiful."

Alright, this is enough. Game or no game, this voice was making no sense at all. "What is it that you want from me? If I am such a waste of your time then why am I still here and why are you still speaking around what you wish to say?"

"What I want does not matter, all that does is what you do."

"Well, in that case, I want to go home. Now." Kassandra punctuates for emphasis.

"You wish to go to a place you do not have, how humorous. Where is it you call home, misthios?" The voice taunts as it swirls around her. "Is home the Adrestia with Barnabas? Is it in Sparta with Myrinne? Or maybe it is in Mykonos with Kyra? The truth is that you do not have a home, you saw to that yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean, Kassandra, is just what I said." The voice chastises. "Seems that you cannot follow along even when you have what you ask for."

Kassandra is being taunted by whoever this woman is and, if anything is being tested, it's her patience because she wants nothing more than to smack the smugness out of her voice.

"You have no place to call your own, everything you know belongs to someone else. The Adrestia was Barnabas' until he became indebted to you, your family home is Myrinne's out of right, and the leader house of Kyra's is hers by her own doing. Tell me, what do you have that is your own?"

Kassandra wanted to give her a sharp answer to rub it in, but she finds that, ultimately, she can't. The thought had briefly crossed her mind before, but she's never wanted to settle down. She didn't do attachments for far too long as the thought of settling down anywhere made her unnerved. There weren't many things in this life that caused her to pause, but the idea of being dormant and docile was one of them. Who could she even be if she wasn't a misthios? If she wasn't the famed Eagle Bearer anymore, she'd be nothing. Her legacy was all that she had and she couldn't just give it up to live a normal life.

"I take your silence as a concession." The voice speaks. "Do you understand what I speak of now?"

There was no point in arguing this because they both knew the answer. Whatever this woman was, she knew her and she knew her well. Kassandra had never voiced this to anyone before, not even Kyra, about her fear of being complacent. She had never dared share it with another person before because they never would understand. She lived too great a life to slow down.

"Yes, yes I understand." How quickly her combative nature concedes when she's faced with the harsh hitting truth. 

"Good. Now we're getting somewhere. I feel this honesty deserves a reward, don't you?" The voice doesn't wait for Kassandra to respond before it speaks again. "I am called many things, but you may call me Melanthios."

Melanthios. It is a start at least. "Are you just a voice, Melanthios?"

"I am and am not," she responds.

"Just wonderful," Kassandra mutters to herself, "we're back to the riddles."

"No riddles, just the truth. I can be anything I wish to be and, for your sake, I have chosen this voice."

"Could you please show yourself?" Kassandra asks as nicely as she can. "I would find it easier to talk to you if I could see you."

"Ask and you shall receive."

Suddenly, the little light from the moon she had illuminating her perimeter turned pitch black and she was left with only a harrowing darkness. The water around her begins to heat up and works its way in a matter of seconds to becoming an almost unbearable pain. The sensation reminds her of standing too close to a campfire, but unlike in the woods, she cannot retreat from it. She could feel the water bubbling around her skin and if she didn't know better, she'd think she was being boiled alive. Well, she really _didn't_ know any better, but she had to have blind trust with this new voice friend of hers. She was not the one in control here.

The water in front of her glows just enough that she can see it swirling in a small circle. Mesmerized, Kassandra watches as the small circle expands outward in size (the glow expanding with it) until a cyclone appears before her. She can feel the suction as it wills itself to pull her nearer, but her feet are rooted to the spot (ironic considering she's in the middle of the sea). This phenomenon is unlike anything she's seen before as the only knowledge of this is from stories she's heard as she's traversed the lands. The sheer power that it possesses alone should be enough to instill a sense of fear and dread within her... but it doesn't. 

All Kassandra can focus on is the elements within the confines of this swirling wonder. The aquatic life fighting for their escape, wholly lost on why their routine has been disrupted. There is also the seas natural materials getting strewn about and a cascading dusting of sand and tiny rocks dance around one another like they're weightless. A truly remarkable sight and she's still none the wiser as to why it was happening. Melanthios had all but promised her an appearance, but Kassandra wasn't sure what this unnecessary (albeit beautiful) spectacle had to do with that. It seemed dramatic for an entrance, but deities tended to overdo it whenever possible from what she knows. As if the cyclone could sense her mild hostility, it slows down and begins to shrink back into nothing. Leaving her left with the pitch black.

Once more she was thrown into darkness, but that wasn't all that changed. The heat she had grown accustomed to faded into a chill she could feel deep within her bones. Her temporary tranquility was no longer and her expertly honed skills alerted her to a presence looming somewhere around her. Her whole body was numb and she no longer had control of any of her extremities. She was paralyzed. 

"Melanthios?" Kassandra speaks tentatively. "Are you here?"

No response.

Kassandra couldn't believe it, but she had come to rely on Melanthios and their voice as a source of comfort. It made her feel less alone and, with its absence, she felt the weight of the silence. It made Kassandra think that, perhaps, Melanthios could read her mind and heard her comments somehow. It would be the only explanation that made sense (not that any of this ever did) so she would need to make amends if she wanted her to come back.

"Look, I'm sorry if what I thought bothered you. I shouldn't judge you or how you choose to show yourself so, if you're willing to forgive me, I promise to keep an open mind."

Here she was negotiating with a voice that may or may not be all in her mind, but it was worth a shot. She would keep the mental commentary down to a minimum and try to just focus herself.

Kassandra waits patiently for a few moments before the darkness dissipates into a shroud of mist. She has to squint to see, but she thinks she can see the outline of a body before her. Kassandra cannot make out any of the features as their body remains blackened, but she can see a small aura of light around the figure.

"You still have not answered my question though, Kassandra. Tell me, what is it that you want?" 

Kassandra recognizes the voice as Melanthios and it was coming from the direction of the silhouette.

"What is it that you desire most?" Melanthios questions her firmly.

"I-," Kassandra falters, "I don't know."

"Surely there must be something that you desire. Glory perhaps? Having everyone know your name and cheer you in the streets everywhere you go. Oh my, what a sight! I foresee statues of gold littered all around Greece and, I know you'll appreciate this, a special statue placed next to Leonidas. The two of you epitomizing what it means to be Spartan, to prove you are the superior creed. The world will tremble at your feet, being unworthy to even glance your direction."

"I do not wish for false glory." Kassandra answers decisively. "There is no honor in that and while everyone else may be fooled, I would always know the bitter truth. I will carve out my own legacy on my own terms."

"But you've thought it yourself. Isn't that what you fear? Being just another face in the crowd as the world forgets you, until your only remaining memory dies out like a spent flame... It would be a tragic end to such a monumental journey, would it not?"

"I will not be forgotten." Kassandra retorts. "I am a legend in my own rights, that will count for something."

She's not sure if she's saying this more for her own sake, to make her believe what she's actually saying or not, or if she thinks she can lie about it strong enough for Melanthios to not notice.

"Now, now, Kassandra, I thought you would be smarter than that. Do not try to play me for a fool or you will regret the consequences. Do I make myself clear? I will not warn you again."

"Yes. It won't happen again."

"It had better not, now let's see... what else could your heart desire most?" 

Melanthios' aura shifts to her far left before shifting again to her far right. Kassandra felt herself in an appraisal of sorts, but she didn't know what they could hope to see from just looking at her.

"Ahh, now I see. Perhaps ultimate riches are what you desire? Living out the rest of your days in a luxury, never having to do what you do not wish to. You would have your pick of only the very best. Food, wine," Melanthios' voice trails off ever slightly, "...women. The world would be at your disposal. Wealth buys power and, with power, comes control and we both know that you love that. Does this not sound like what you want?"

Kassandra knew she couldn't lie again or there'd be repercussions so she had to speak honestly. "Truth be told, that is something I desire. To have a small fortune is what most everyone dreams of, is it not? Who wouldn't wish to make life just a bit easier?"

Melanthios' head (or, at least, what she assumes is her head) tilts to the side. Kassandra can't see her eyes but she knows she's being regarded and judged. There was no mistaking the feel of a looming gaze as it rakes across her from head to toe, she just had to hope it liked what it saw.

"Hmm, I see." Melanthios hums out. "You speak the truth, but yet your heart does not want this above all else so it will not do. We must go deeper, something not superficial in nature. Let's see..." A spark ignites where Kassandra presumes their eyes are. "Love."

Kassandra tenses up with the word and her mind floods to Kyra for the first time since this ordeal began. All she can see is Kyra being captured again, or worse... It was a fate she dared not to think about, but she had to know. There was no question that the ship was going to sink, the only thing that did linger in her mind was who would walk away from it.

"I can see I've touched a nerve," Melanthios' tone hinted at a mockery, "how quaint."

"What happened to her?" Kassandra beseeches. "I must know, you have to tell me!"

"The same thing that happens to everyone you've loved."

Oh no, no, no. Gods no!

"She's not dead, at least, not yet. She will be soon though and what a tragedy it will be. Such a shame someone so in their prime gets taken down by what they least expect."

An immense dread rises up within her at the mere thought of Kyra's death. She's never even entertained the idea that she could lose her forever. She herself was always the one to perish whenever she allowed her mind to drift so ominously, never Kyra. It couldn't be like this, it absolutely couldn't. "Tell me, what do you see?! Can I save her?"

"The future is never set in stone. Think of it like a fish swimming in the sea, fluid and ever changing. The future is unpredictable so there is always a chance for something greater, but there also is a chance for something worse."

"Please, just tell me what I have to do to save her!" Kassandra pleads. "I will do anything you ask of me, just please, spare her."

"I am no goddess to hear your prayers, so save your breath. Begging will do no good, only your actions can hope to alter the course of destiny."

Kassandra scrunches her face in confusion, "But how am I supposed to save her when I'm dead?"

"Enough of this incessant chatter!" Melanthios' voice booms as the water ripples around them. "Your love for Kyra is strong, but that's not what makes you live."

"That's not true!" Kassandra protests. "I love Kyra, more than life itself, so how dare you tell me that she's not what I live for. Mythical being or whatever you might be, you claim to know me but you're wrong."

"I am never wrong." Melanthios brushes away her accusation like it was merely a suggestion. "I will not deny that you love Kyra, but she is not your greatest desire. There is something that burns brighter inside of you than your love for her and I intend to make you realize that. For one can never grasp a true love when you deny who you truly are."

"Alright. If you're so smart and all knowing like you claim, by all means, have at." Kassandra wanted to be snippier, but she still needed to tread carefully.

"You are a righteous woman, no doubt about it, so it must be justice that you seek. You long to right the wrongs done to you. The mercy you were never shown, the family you could never have. You wish to redeem your name and your legacy by making those who caused you such pain face their crimes."

Kassandra thinks back to that fateful night on Mount Taygetos. A place and time she's fought to repress, now being forced to resurface against her will. She watches the memory play out in front of her like it was just yesterday. A frightened child with no greater understanding of what was happening. How naive she was for thinking she could ever escape this. She could see the priest as his hands released her brother, starting the ripple effect that she's been forced to live with. She would kill the priest and the whole lot of them again if she had the chance.

"But wait! No, no, that's not quite right. It is something more profound than justice. I can feel your anger, your _rage_ as it courses through you."

Kassandra feels the water around her begin to heat up again like it did before the cyclone.

"You burn with a passion, but it is not the truth you search for anymore. Perhaps it was at first, but now it has manifested into something different, something... darker. I can sense it consuming you little by little, an appetite that grows hungrier each passing day."

She can hear the sound of the water boiling around her as her body is pushed to the extreme from the heat. It is intense, but it doesn't burn her like it should. Kassandra looks to her hands and she can see some sort of protective lining that encompasses her. Whatever it is, it is keeping her safe from the effects of the water.

"You can feel what I speak of, can't you? You can feel it swarming inside you, just waiting for you to give it permission to explode. Feel it, Kassandra!"

The moment the words escaped Melanthios' mouth, the protective barrier around her starts to fade. In an instant, she can feel the boiling water as it hits her hands. She tries to pull them away, but they won't budge. Something was holding them in place, forcing her to feel this. She can feel her skin blistering, but she can't see it. Then, in a moment of clarity, it dawns on her. She was boiling from the inside out. 

Her hands shake violently as the barrier recedes, exposing her arms and her legs until, eventually, every part of her is set ablaze. Her teeth gritted and grinded as she fights the pain, but she would sooner break her teeth before it even came close to helping.

"Hear me, Kassandra, as I uncover your greatest desire. One that you've tried to repress, but your walls are no match for me. The more you fight, the worse it will get. Let it go. Let it out. The demons that haunt you, the faces that plague your dreams, they show what you want. Reveal them to me. Seek my message."

Kassandra tries to fight this new sensation in her head with everything she's got, but it was already too much. With her body burning and her head feeling like she's had a mountain dropped on top of her, she couldn't resist for long.

"Don't be a fool, Kassandra, you know you cannot stop this."

Melanthios pauses, allowing Kassandra to answer, but she refuses with a pained silence.

"Are you waiting for me to say the word? To give the disease that flows through you a name?" Melanthios presses to work down Kassandra's resolve. "Alright then, have it your way." 

"Vengeance." The word is drawn out in an almost hiss, like it was venomous words from a viper. "It runs through your blood and it is what has driven you to do the impossible! No mere mortal can do what you do, you know this as well as I, so why do you try to quell the beast that is within you? You can try to rationalize it all you wish, but we both know better. You killed Nikolaus because of what he did to you and Alexios. You've never forgiven him for being a coward and ruining your life. You killed Stentor because of what he had that you never got, a pater. He had Nikolaus in a way you never would and that became his downfall. He was arrogant and pigheaded, but that's not why you killed him. You killed him to end the legacy of anyone Nikolaus loved."

"No!" Kassandra grunts out in both an answer and to show her resistance to the pain.

"Yes!" Melanthios exclaims. "You've hated everyone who has ever had a family, _your_ family, in a way you never could."

"N-no." Kassandra forces the word through her teeth. The strain on her body is unlike anything she's ever felt before and she hoped she'd never have to feel this again. Life or death, nothing mattered at this point, only the pain.

"You want to kill everyone who's ever had the life you had always dreamed about!" Melanthios prods, their relentless nature persisting over Kassandra's denials. "You want to hunt down everyone who's ever wronged you and make them pay in blood. You want to color your world in the Spartan red that you never got to brandish. That's the warrior inside of you, Kassandra, listen to it."

"NO!" Kassandra screams out in anguish as the pain intensifies to the point that tears flow uncontrollably. "Stop-, pl-please."

"I can't stop this, only you have that power. I am merely just revealing the darkness that was always there. It is in my nature to cast a shadow on everything you thought you knew, but I am not here to destroy you. For that, well, you're doing it to yourself. What I am here for is to help you bloom into your untapped potential, you just have to embrace me."

Kassandra wouldn't do it, she _couldn't >/em> do it. Embracing this part of her would mean accepting that she was an unhinged animal, just waiting to strike. She wanted so desperately for Melanthios to be wrong, to be able to tell them that love was her strongest desire... but it wasn't. The truth of the matter was that she couldn't control herself from this obsession and it consumed her in ways she'd never imagine. The closer she got to unraveling the cults operations, the more she fixated. Everything she did was to kill those responsible and she was just so close that she could taste it._

_From the moment she wakes to the time she sleeps, her mind turns to the cult. She is trapped by her own mind to revisit them almost every hour of every day. She can see the faces of those she's slain and she can see faces of those still to meet their demise by her hands. Her nightmares are filled with them causing harm to those she cares about with her just watching as they fall and become one with the dirt beneath her feet. She can see the horrors play out over and over and she won't lose anyone else to them again, she can't._

_With her capture, she's had nothing but time to reflect. It was never something she would allow prior because she was always fearful of what she would see. She's built up her image and her reputation, but how well would she merit when the veil dropped? How would she fare when there was nowhere left to run and every fear she'd been running from stares her dead in the eyes? Would she see this bravadoed warrior or would she see someone meek? Her confidence wasn't always a true as it appeared so just how much of it was fake? Never before had she felt such self doubt, a sensation so crippling that she found it hard to even understand._

_It was never wise for Kassandra to be inside herself like this, especially now that she was alone. Melanthios may know all, but there was always more than meets the eye. They appeared out of thin air and ever since, she's been losing her mind. It was no coincidence. They would shed just enough doubt to get her thinking and that appeared to be all it took to send her down a path of madness. It was as if Melanthios was inside of her head and knew everything about her. She could keep no secret and she realized that they probably knew the answers to every question they asked before they even muttered a word._

_Her body begins to convulse and she can feel her throat tightening, making it almost impossible to breathe. Her breaths become shallow and pained and all the while her body has locked her out of control. Fighting the truth of what drives her will kill her._

_Wait a minute..._

_"Find my message." Melanthios' words to her echo in the back of her mind as the pain intensifies to the likes she's never experienced before. The only hope she has of making this cease is to stop denying who she is._

_This monster that dwells within her beneath the surface, this untapped rage that simmers beneath her skin. She has to embrace it or else she can never come back. It needs to be faced or it will consume her until there's nothing left. Kassandra can feel that this is the decision to make this all stop and, maybe by some bold stroke of luck, it will bring her back to Kyra. This thirst she's tried to hide must be quenched and she had no more time to deny it. The choice needed to be made._

_"I EMBRACE YOU!" Kassandra screams out, ceasing the pain in its tracks. The barrier surrounding her skin once more, her body becomes soothed. An invisible force still remains, holding her upright as she's got no energy left on her own to stand._

_"I see you now understand what I've been trying to show you. Only now do you have a chance to achieve it. Trust in me, Kassandra, and I will show you the path."_

_The shadow figure dissipates into the surrounding water and the moonlight filters back through for the briefest of moments before her whole world flashes white._


	35. Dance With You (Aries) (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twice within the same week? Whaaaaattt???? That's right folks! I'm making up for lost time and giving you another update that will have you on your toes. I am very proud of this chapter and I wrote the majority of it earlier today. It pays to have others give you a deadline because you're 10x as likely to hit it. I really, really love this chapter and I think you all will too. I don't want to set the expectations too high, but this is literally one of my favorite chapters I've ever written sooooo... 
> 
> In all seriousness, this chapter is everything I could have hoped for and more. That said, I hope you all love it as much as I did. Please hit me up in the comments as I'd love to know what you thought of this 😊.
> 
> Karmin - Dance With You  
> https://youtu.be/CiNMjy0xoU8

There is a certain kind of helplessness that comes with the unknown. One never quite knows what is to come so it is near impossible to prepare yourself. The mystery holds tightly, a grip that can be suffocating if left undiscovered. No battle or circumstance in Kassandra's life has ever prepared her for what she's facing now. Never could she have anticipated what was to come next.

The white light burned brighter than the sun on the clearest of days. Not even squinting her eyes could prevent the wince from the sheer sheen it emanated. It was all encompassing, but it brought with it the feeling of loneliness. No longer was she in the sea and Melanthios seemed to have vanished too. She didn't know it for certain, but she could feel its absence. Whatever it did, it transported her into this nothingness. Everything was abnormally quiet, an eerie silence unlike anything she's ever heard. All she could hear was the sounds of her own breathing and the movement of her clothes as she walked around.

"Melanthios? Are you still with me?"

Silence.

"If this is another test, just say so."

Continued silence.

"I don't understand why I'm here, there's nothing." Kassandra continues to speak, even without the reassurance of anyone to listen. "I accepted you and your terms so why am I still here? I am needed elsewhere, I can't just abandon her. Just tell me what I have to do."

Kassandra didn't bother to name Kyra because it was clear that whatever being she was dealing with already knew what she meant. It still bewildered her as to just how Melanthios knew all this, but she was sensible enough to not ask.

"Welcome, Kassandra." An unfamiliar voice echoes around her. "I am sure you have many questions, but I am afraid there's little time to answer. Be wise in your questions, speak quickly now."

"Who are you?"

"I am Calliope and I'm here to help you get home."

"I thought I didn't have a home? Melanthios made that abundantly clear."

"Melanthios' methods can be a bit extreme so please allow me to apologize on their behalf. They like to antagonize and will exploit any weaknesses you show."

"So what makes you different? I am still dead, am I not? So why the games?"

"You're not dead, Kassandra, at least not yet. You're spirit is fighting to remain tethered to the world of the living, but a war is being waged to keep you here because of who you are. You're unique, I'm sure you must know this. Your blood is unlike the rest of the mortals, but you're not a god. You fit somewhere in between. This has some very powerful entities concerned because they know that when the time comes, your actions will be their downfall."

Kassandra had known her bloodline was special, but she's never been able to work out why. "It seems my bloodline is all that matters about me. Why do they not just kill me and get it over with? Why not just wipe me from this world if they are so powerful?"

"Because there are also those that want to see you succeed. The world is full of checks and balances and there are higher stakes in your life than you could ever imagine. You have gifts, Kassandra, and you should not allow them to be wasted."

Everything about what was happening was something she'd never be able to explain. If she weren't the one here, she knows she'd never believe this. It goes against everything she knows to be true, but she's faced the impossible before. She herself is an example of something that shouldn't be, but is. 

Kassandra had never given her "advanced" abilities much thought as they've just been a part of her, but the more she thinks about it, the more abnormal it seems. The only one who's ever been able to keep up with her was Alexios and, even then, he didn't have everything she did. Both of them were stronger than the average person, but Kassandra could do so much more. Her strength was only a fraction of what she could truly do.

She could scale walls, buildings, rocks, you name it with not only a precision grip, but she was able to do it all with ease. This was the first of her abilities that she noticed as she grew up on Kephallonia. When she was younger, she'd get herself in all kinds of trouble because of Markos and her ability to flee became a paramount of importance. She would get caught stealing and have to make a run for it and sometimes the only way to go was up. Once she pieced together just what she could do, the sky became the limit. It took her no time at all to climb to the tops of the Parthenon or the temples. Even the smoothest of pillars morphed under her touch to give her hands and feet a solid placing. Not to mention that when it was time to get down, she could just jump. 

Heights that would kill anyone else doesn't even give her a scratch. This skill was found out by a complete accident, but she realized what it meant and actively tested herself. She started small and worked her way up in scale, until she was jumping off mountainous peaks just for fun. It also had very practical applications too. Kassandra couldn't even recount how many times this saved her life either by running from predators or from enemies. She would be able to leap to safety when presented the opportunity.

Then there was her connection with Ikaros and Phobos. It only took a single whistle to summon either of them and it never mattered where she was, they would always just know where to be. Her bond with Ikaros went a step further in that she could see what he saw. When she connected with him, she _became_ him. She controlled his movements and altitude and could track an entire building's worth of people in one swoop. It is how she always knew where to be and where her enemies were. 

Finally and, perhaps most importantly, there was her regenerative health abilities. When she got wounded in a battle, her healing time was always minimal. She had sustained injuries that she shouldn't have walked away from, but yet here she was. Even her most recent injuries (which are miraculously nonexistent here) would take her a couple of days before it looked like nothing happened. Her body would retain the scars and that was her only real reminder of what caused them. It was a gift she cherished, especially given her profession as a misthios. It made her almost invincible.

Kassandra never felt these abilities were a burden until late, but she doesn't regret having them. It has allowed her to be as effective as she is with hunting down the cultists and it has allowed her to expertly take down those pariahs that lay claim to Greece. Nobody was safe from her. There would be no obstacle too great that she couldn't overcome it. She would need to treat whatever was happening here as just that, an obstacle. Calliope had said she wasn't dead and she needed to believe her.

Unlike Melanthios, Calliope seemed very upfront and forthcoming with her information. Not that they had spoken for long, but it didn't appear that Calliope had any angle on her. She knew she would only have a limited chance to ask questions so she needed to be smarter about just what the questions entailed.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I wish for you to live and save Greece from its doomed fate."

"Doomed fate?"

"A plague will descend across the Greek isles and, in Athens, the man that will pick up the pieces is a fate worse than death. He works for the cult, a group you're all too familiar with, and from him, a darkness will rise. If he is not stopped, thousands of lives will be lost."

"What are you talking about?" Kassandra asks confused. "Perikles has power in Athens and he is a good man. He lives for those people and I think he'd sooner die than betray them."

"Kassandra, you must understand that there is only so much I can share with you, but Perikles is not the man I speak of. It will be up to you to interpret what I say because I might not be able to tell you directly, but I can speak around it."

Calliope sounds genuine in her desire to help and, at this point, she will take what she can get. She will just have to connect the dots herself. Perikles would never willingly step down so that means he's either forced out and exiled or that he dies.

"What can I do to stop this man?" 

"You will need to ensure that his successor is unharmed and she will do the rest. You must take her far away and protect her until the plague ends."

"Her?" Kassandra questions. "Do I know her?"

"You do and you will know when the time is right. You must believe her intentions are pure."

"Ok, so I take and protect this woman and she takes control of Athens. That might take care of one problem, but what about Sparta? They are ruled by corruption. The cult has its influence everywhere so why is Athens the most important?"

"You will not get to have all vengeance you seek, Kassandra, but in Athens you will have the best chance to have a taste. While Melanthios might have been underhanded in just how they procured this information from you, it still stands that vengeance is what you're after. I am here to warn you that if you follow that road, you will suffer dire consequences."

Kassandra balks at the mere suggestion. "The cult doesn't scare me and nothing they do to me will ever match what I can do to them. I will kill every last one of them."

"If you do that, you will doom the world for all eternity. There will come a time where you will be faced with a decision that will change the course of what's to come. If you live as you are now, it will only end in pain."

Kassandra tenses her jaw out of frustration. She's getting tired of always being told to stop. She embraced herself like Melanthios wanted and now Calliope is telling her to just let it go? The messages are mixed and confusing. "Let me get this straight. Melanthios tells me to embrace my true desire, but you're telling me to let it go? That doesn't make any sense."

"As I told you before, not everyone wants you to live, Melanthios is no exception. They were not wrong with what they spoke of, but you must look bigger than that. You do need to embrace who you are to be set free, but that doesn't mean that acting upon such desires will be the answer."

Kassandra's mind feels like it was running in the Olympics. Spent and exhausted. She wanted to believe Calliope like she believed Melanthios, but she was getting two very different reactions. She didn't know who to believe. She would have to think about this when she got out of this place, but now she needed to focus on getting back to Kyra. Time was of the essence and the more time she waited and dwelled on "what if's," the less likely she would ever see her face again.

"Let's say I believe you and what you're telling me. How can I prevent the collapse if I'm stuck in here? What do I need to do to get back?"

"For that you must face your final trial, but I warn you that it will not be so easy."

"Tell me what to do." Kassandra needed to know. She needed to get back to her other body and get to Kyra.

"You will have to face four opponents in combat. You will only move on once you've killed your target."

"Fighting I can handle." Kassandra answers confidently. "These some unspeakable creatures brought up from Hades himself to test me?"

"Not quite. They are demons of sorts, but they're _your_ demons. I'm afraid I can't say anymore, I've already told you too much."

"When can this begin? When can I fight these demons?" Kassandra asks anxiously, wanting to be out of this white void as quickly as possible. 

"Now, if you are ready, but I warn you that once you go, you will not come back. If you die during these trials, you will die permanently and Hades will claim your soul."

"Hades?" Kassandra questions nervously. "Why would I go there? I know I've done some bad things, but I've also done a lot of good. Shouldn't I at least be destined for Elysium?"

"Originally yes, but these circumstances are anything but usual. You have two options to choose from ultimately and the decision will be yours. You may back out from the trials and go to Elysium, but you will lose all of your special abilities and your body will drown at sea to never be recovered. You will never again see anyone that you've ever loved in the afterlife."

This option didn't sound like a good scenario as she would be giving up everything she's ever worked for and she'd be giving up her lifeblood to take the easy way out. It also meant that she would never see her mater again, nor Alkibiades, Barnabas, or Phaedra. Worst of all, she would never again get to see Kyra. She could die knowing that one day they'd be reunited, but the conditions for the first choice would mean that Kyra would never again be in her life. The mere thought of this makes her feel ill and she can feel all her confidence begin to wane. This was not something she wanted to accept so it was time to hear the alternative.

"And what's the second option?"

"You fight these four demons and, if you survive, you are granted life once more and will be returned in your body. However, if you refuse to kill any of the four, you will be sent to Hades for all eternity."

There's something Calliope isn't telling her, she can feel it. She said specifically "if" she couldn't kill her demons, which wouldn't have even been a thought to Kassandra otherwise. There has to be something else that she's not saying about these demons, but the point is probably moot to try and ask for more detail. It didn't matter what they threw at her, she would defeat it. 

"Before I give you my answer, I have another set of questions to ask if I may? They're unrelated to the challenge."

"Go ahead."

"Is Kyra still alive?"

Kassandra counts each second that passes by without an answer, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen... Her heart sinking deeper and deeper as the seconds tick by into a pit of despair. The thought of her death is something she could not handle. She would know it was all her fault and that she was why Kyra died. She couldn't protect her when she promised to and she was the whole reason Kyra was in this mess to begin with. 

"That is a tricky question. You see, she's not dead, not technically speaking anyway, but she's on the cusp. You are the only one that can save her."

"How can I save her? Where is she?" Kassandra frantically presses. "What do I need to do?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say, only that you will see soon enough."

"What does that even mean?" Kassandra was puzzled to say the least. Kyra was alive, but only kind of and she was the only one to save her only that she had no idea where or how.

"I'm afraid though that our time is up. I wish I could tell you everything, but I have faith that you'll do the right thing. That being said, have you made a decision?"

She's got two options, both abysmal if she were to speak honestly. The one hand she'd be granted a spot in Elysium, but she'd never see Kyra again or she could risk it all and take on the battle. Winning meant her freedom back, but losing meant she'd spend the rest of time in Hades. Both harrowing in their own rights, but Kassandra knew which choice she had to make.

"I will take the second option. I will fight for my life back." Kassandra answers steadfastly. "If they are my demons, it means they're not real, right?"

"You don't know how wrong you are..."

Calliope begins a chant using a language she's never heard before and the white room begins to darken. Unlike with Melanthios, it never gets too dark so Kassandra gets to witness the sight before her. The white room has now transformed into something that looks like the inside of a volcano. She can see the lava breaking through some of the cracks as a red ring forms around the outlining walls. Her feet become much warmer and the soft texture she had before beneath her feet was now something akin to rock. Looking down, Kassandra can see small crevices filled with the lava like substance flowing beneath her. 

Taking a tentative step forward, Kassandra feels as the surface shifts ever so. This would be useful information and it let her know that the ground was not sturdy in the slightest. There is no knowing if this fight will be fair so any information she can gather on her surroundings is for the best. Kassandra moves until she meets the lava circle. Taking care to not step outside the ring, Kassandra reaches out and places her palm against the rough surface. She can feel the heat intensify under her touch until it becomes too hot to bear.

Kassandra cradles her hand into her chest, nursing the unexpected burn. It seemed like both the ground and the walls were reactionary to touch. If she stayed in place for too long, she would get burned. An odd sort of environment, but then again, she did watch this magically transform in front of her. There was no telling what other mystical elements would be at play, but she would do her best to keep a step ahead. What she needed to figure out now was just what demons of her past she'd face. She's killed many people on her hunt for the cult so there really wasn't anyone specifically she could pinpoint. Well, except for one.

Nikolaus.

It would make sense for him to make an appearance since he is why this whole ordeal happened in the first place. If he had not dropped her from Mount Taygetos, she would be telling a very different story. His death was the most personal one to her and one she would occasionally regret. Killing him had not filled the space that grew within her, but she still believed it was the right thing to do. Not everyone deserved a redemption. Where Nikolaus went, Stentor would probably follow so that would be her second demon. She didn't want to sound too overconfident, but if those were indeed two of the four, she liked her odds.

"Mighty Eagle Bearer," a deep voice booms within the confines of this volcanic cave, "your final trial awaits you. Come, step in the center to grab your weapon to begin."

This was it, the moment of truth. Once she stepped forward, there was no turning back. This would be the ultimate test of her skills and she would need to give it everything she's got if she was going to live to see another day. She needed to be victorious for herself, for Kyra, for her mater, and everyone else she cared about. She believed Calliope when she warned of the foreseeable dangers that loom ahead so Kassandra needed to win so she could protect them all. She had a destiny to fulfill and that meant she wasn't dying today.

Taking a deep breath, Kassandra strides to the center of the ring and spots her spear nestled in a box. She felt much more comfortable having it back in her possession as it was a part of her now, an extension of her body. She could feel the energy of the spear with each life she ended. It was like her spear was absorbing their life and transmitting it to her. It sounded crazy, but with everything happening the way it was now, it didn't seem so wild of an idea after all. It would explain why she felt more powerful in battle, but she had no way of knowing if this was actually true or if it was just a theory. 

Taking care to remove the spear, Kassandra feels the wooden grip in her palm and a wave of power crashes over her. She gives a few tentative strikes to get the feel of it once more, but there was no mistaking the muscle memory. It had only been a week since she's held this blade, but it felt like there was no time that passed without it. There was no "rust" to work out and no hint of this spear being tampered with. This was her spear alright and she was grateful for whatever being it was that reunited them.

She didn't have long to bask before the ground at her feet began to shake. The tremors weren't violent, but it was enough to loosen up some of the material beneath her. A sudden gusts of wind forces her back towards the edge and a small lava circle forms around her.

"Prepare yourself Eagle Bearer, for the time of action is nigh. You must slay each of your opponents or you will perish to the depths of Hades."

They're really keen on reminding her of what happens if she fails, but she won't let that happen. She's come too far to lose now.

"Bring. It. On." Kassandra challenges as she loosens up her shoulders and bounces on the pads of her feet.

"Very well. Challenger one, approach!" The voice announces and the other half of the ring is engulfed in a fog like substance. 

It's the kind of steam that reminds her of when water meets fire. It wasn't very dense, but it still blocked off a good bit of detail. Kassandra waits and watches as the steam starts to dissipate and, with its removal, she recognizes the first of her demons and the fact that the ground beneath them has shifted to sand surrounded by water. Before her stands a sopping wet Thaletas, his body heavily decomposed and covered in algae. Most of his skin was flaked away on his arms and legs, but his face seemed to have maintained most of its composure. Kassandra knew his body would be nothing but bones at this point and time so this appearance was most likely to try to rattle her.

"You." Thaletas groans out, his voice sounding different than what she remembered. It sounded murkier, like his voice was also dealing with some of the degradation of the years since his passing. "You did this to me. Now I will return the favor."

The small ring she was pushed into morphed back into sand, indicating to her that it was time to battle. Kassandra wasn't intimidated so far and she was going to give as good as she got. "You look a bit weathered there, how is the bottom of the sea treating you?" Kassandra mocks as she takes a step forward. "I've killed you once before and I can do it again. For your sake, you should have stayed dead."

Thaletas' face seethes with rage. "This glory was supposed to be mine. Podarkes was mine to kill. These islands were mine to win for Sparta. Kyra was mine, and you took her from me!"

This sounded awfully familiar, like she's heard this before. Yes! On the beach! Thaletas gave her this exact same speech before she had to kill him. Odd that that's what he chose to repeat to her.

"I've told you once before and I'll say it again. No one belongs to you, Thaletas. I didn't take your glory, I helped!"

"You did nothing! We were in love, you know. We can be again... I can still have her heart, still prove to her I'm the warrior she wants." Thaletas takes several steps forward, but he does not cross the center.

"You're dead, Thaletas! Your time among the living is over and Kyra is not someone you can win back. You should not dwell on what could have been or you're always be miserable. I am sorry it had to come to this, but you left me no choice..." Kassandra grips her spear tightly in anticipation of his first swing. "I did what I had to do and you would have done the same in my position."

Thaletas doesn't respond with words, instead he raises his sword to his side. "You're no match for a Spartan!"

With that, he lunges across the line towards her and she easily deflects his blow. 

"You forget that I'm Spartan too you malaka!" Kassandra swings her own spear only to have it blocked.

Kassandra tries to go on the offensive, but Thaletas is able to match every blow that she strikes. The old Thaletas didn't fare so well in their fight and she had him downed in only a matter of minutes. But this guy, he seemed to be a more impressive version of a mediocre man. She opts to stay on the defensive to see if there are any tricks up his sleeve or if there are any weaknesses. Simply stabbing him wouldn't cut it since he's already dead so she would have to take extreme measures. 

"You are really putting up a fight." Thaletas proclaims as he continues to swing wildly. Each swing of his sword felt just as powerful as the first so it became clear that he could not be winded. Whatever this version of Thaletas was, it wasn't human anymore. She would need a new strategy, something else to try because brute force just wasn't working.

If this was still the old Thaletas in any way, she had an idea at how to distract him. "Kyra never loved you, you know. She told me as much herself."

Thaletas' swing hesitates for just a moment before he begins his onslaught once more.

She's got him.

"You should see how happy Kyra is without you. Killing you was probably the best thing I've ever done for her." Kassandra taunts and her mind is working as quick as her spear to come up with more jabs to get him distracted. "And trust me, I do absolutely _everything_ for her and more. There's nothing quite like the feel of her body reacting to my touch. I've never had anyone so ready and willing to be ravished by me whenever I desire."

Thaletas releases a primal snarl and overreaches his swing, allowing Kassandra to strike upwards and dismember his left arm.

Thaletas stumbles back as he sees his limb on the ground and both he and Kassandra watch as the sand engulfs the discarded limb, removing it from the battlefield.

"You can't fight forever!" Thaletas growls as he hastily tries to out maneuver her.

"That's where you're wrong, Thaletas, just like usual." Kassandra snarks with a devilish grin. "You know, maybe if you were right more often, she wouldn't have left you for me. She hardly even remembers you existed because of me."

Kassandra crouches low and severs his leg from the shin down, causing him to fall from the lack of stability. This was it, she had him beat, but she had one more thing to tell him before he was gone for good.

"I am her future and you'll always just be a man in her past."

With that said, Kassandra decapitates him to finish the battle. She watches as his head and what remains of his body is swallowed up by the sand before the strong wind pushes her back to where she started this battle and that her surroundings transform back into the volcanic cave.

The deep voice commands her attention once the small ring is back around her. "Prepare yourself, your second challenger awaits you."

Kassandra shakes her body out, still feeling limber and on top of her game. The rest period would be short so there wouldn't ever be much time to catch her breath, but she still needed to keep moving or risk being burnt.

The ring disappears and there is no fog this time, but she watches as the battlefield morphs again from the volcanic cave to something different. This time, she has ended up at the edge of a cliff. This place looked familiar, but it wasn't until she saw who climbed up the ledge that she placed where she was.

This was Mount Taygetos and her second challenger was Nikolaus. 

She had anticipated him as being one of her opponents, but he wasn't the old man she last saw. Instead, he looked like a younger version of himself, one that she would have seen as a little girl. He stands tall and proud, a stark contrast to the husk of a man she last knew him to be.

In his right hand, he holds a staff. One she was all too familiar with as it was what they used to spar when she was younger. She looks down to her own weapon and realizes that she too now had the same kind of staff. Holding this staff reminded her of better times for them all, back before the cult severed the lifeblood of her family.

Looking back up at the man she used to call pater, she sees Nikolaus take his sparring position. She mirrors the same and the two begin to trade blows. Nikolaus was a very skilled warrior, without question, so defeating him would not be as easy as it was for Thaletas. She could not rely on the same tactics she used against Thaletas. He would not be swayed so easily with his emotions, but she would have to figure it out.

Kassandra dodges and ducks his blows, feeling the occasional "thwap" of the staff as it hits her shins or her arms.

"You'll have to be stronger than that!" Nikolaus encourages, just like he did when she was a girl. The only thing missing from this picture was her mater cheering her on in the background.

This was now the second time where a past conversation had returned to her. Thaletas never spoke more than he did to her whilst they were fighting and, if she had to hazard a guess, she'd say Nikolaus cannot do so either. If she wanted to hear more, she would have to try and think back to what she said.

Distracted by her thoughts, Nikolaus is able to sweep her off her feet, causing her to fall down to the ground and drop her staff.

"Again! Up!" He orders as he taps his stick to the ground.

"Yes, pater." She instinctively answers as she gets back up, surprising herself at just how easily she fell back into old habits. She had not called him that since the event, but it felt so natural rolling off her tongue.

Nikolaus moves closer to her, but his body language is anything but predatory. "A Spartan rises as soon as they've fallen." Nikolaus advises as he points a finger her direction before he nods approvingly at her and takes a step back.

"Pick up your staff." He commands and she does as she's told.

This moment feels so surreal that she's going through the motions again after so long, but her mind has never forgotten this lesson. Nikolaus always pushed her to be stronger, to be faster, to be better, and she always was. It was how she continued to train herself as she grew older. She could still hear his voice if she messed up and she could imagine the disappointment on his face.

"Widen your stance." He speaks as he hits the staff between her legs. "A soldier grounds themselves."

She knew this, but she found herself forgetting everything she's taught herself, that _he_ taught her. Her mind was anywhere but focused and it was making her sloppy.

She corrects her stance and she can sense his approval. "Good, good. Approach me."

She remembers her mater putting a stop to this battle because it was time to eat, but there was no food here now. This time, her mater was not here to intervene and she had no idea what would be coming next.

His staff shifted into a sword as her own changed back into her spear. Playtime was over and the nostalgia was done. Now, she needed to fight for her life.

Nikolaus stayed on the defensive this time and studied her as she made each strike. Even now she could feel his judgement of her stance and her motions. If her guess was correct, he'd not be able to comment on it, but he didn't need words to get his message across. His eyes told her everything she ever needed to know and she knew them well. She was going to have to out finesse him if she planned on winning.

They remained at a stalemate for what felt like an eternity. It didn't matter what she did, he was always a step ahead of her like he'd always been. It was beginning to frustrate her that she couldn't land even a single hit. She had to be doing something wrong, but what could it be?

She backed away enough to get a good look at him and it hits her just how much of a Spartan he truly was. She was playing into his fighting style, one that he has perfected, which would explain why he always knew what she was going to do. She had been unknowingly fighting just like he taught her, just like a Spartan. But Kassandra was more than just a Spartan, she was a misthios and with that it meant she had a more diverse fighting style at her disposal.

Being a Spartan meant following very strict rules, but being a misthios meant that she knew how to break them too. Kassandra tightened her stance from being one of stability to one of agility and she could feel the tides shifting.

As Nikolaus struck, Kassandra rolled out of the way and was able to slash his shin. She continued to move quickly and hit almost every strike she threw. His legs were bleeding heavily and she knew she had to work higher on his body or it would take hours.

Foregoing her weapon, Kassandra runs full speed into Nikolaus, toppling both of them to the ground. His sword was too long to get a good angle on her, but her short spear was perfect for getting up close and personal. Seizing the opportunity, Kassandra plunges her spear into his chest.

Nikolaus' eyes bulge and she knew then that this was enough to immobilize him. She slowly pulls out her spear and she sees it shine brightly with his blood. She wipes it off on his cloth before she sheaths it behind her. This fight was over, it was only a matter of time.

She stepped back as he rolled onto all fours to stand himself back up. His sword was being used as a crutch and she doubted he would be able to do any serious damage with it. He hobbled slowly towards the edge of the cliff before dropping his sword over the side, turning to face her.

"Kassandra." Nikolaus motions her to come closer as he tries to steady himself from the wound she had just inflicted upon him.

Kassandra was torn, she wasn't sure if this was still a trick. He was teetering on the edge of the cliff and he could easily try to throw her from it again, but she could see a look in his eyes that made her want to go to him. 

So she did.

Nikolaus drops down to a single knee once she gets near so she squats down in front of him so they are face to face.

"You are my greatest pride." His hand rests gently on her shoulder before it falls to his side. "Remember that. You'll bring this family to glory."

Kassandra couldn't hide the tears as they streamed down her face. Having him be proud of her was all she'd ever wanted. He was her rock, her pillar. Whenever she felt doubt, he was always there to encourage her and push her forward. She couldn't deny that his betrayal hurt her in ways she never was brave enough to face, until now that is.

Kassandra bears witness to him transforming back into the man she last knew, the man who had nothing left but his Spartan honor. Where her heart still ached, she felt a pity gazing upon his face. He had nothing left in this life to cherish and he only could blame himself. She did not make the decision to do this, he did. If anything, she did him a favor by killing him that day because his life was miserable. She would always mourn for what was, but she couldn't allow that to cloud her judgement for the present.

Kassandra grabs ahold of his chest armor and lifts him up so that they're both standing. She walks them closer and closer to the edge until his feet were barely placed on the ledge.

She knows how this has to end.

Grabbing his right arm, she allows him to dangle over the cliff as he once did to her. Every emotion she felt that night flashed across her face. Hurt, confusion, despair, and sadness. Even though she had dreamed of this moment, now that it was here, it was a hollow victory. Killing him again would not change anything, but she could remember his words as she fought on.

_"You'll bring this family to glory."_

Staring into his eyes, she can see no love any longer. His eyes were as dull as a worn blade and it was time to end his torment. Releasing her grip, she watches him plummet to the ground until he falls beyond the line of her sight.

"Goodbye, pater..."

The wind roars once again and sends her flying backwards until she's back in the small ring. The ground now back to that volcanic rock and Mount Taygetos was now no longer.

She knew what to expect by now, but she was now more winded than she had been the last time. Nikolaus had patience which is something Thaletas could only dream of. With patience came time so this battle probably lasted an hour longer in comparison, but she really did have no notion of time within this confinement.

The voice doesn't allow her much time of rest as it bellows out the speech for the next challenge. "Prepare yourself for your third challenger."

The lava encircling the battlefield morphs into fire and trees sprout up all around her with the exception of a clearing in front of her. She can smell the smoke as it chars the trees and, unlike her previous battles, there are other people here. The sky is dark, but she can see by the flames that there are Spartans fighting Athenians. They all pay her no mind until she spots her third challenger, Deimos.

He had just killed a Spartan soldier and the crazed look in his eyes and it was directed towards her. Alexios, Deimos, whatever he wanted to call himself, he was out for blood. He wanted _her_ blood.

Kassandra's focus from him is broken when she spots a familiar face rushing towards him.

"Brasidas!" 

She has to help him.

Kassandra rushes forward, but it wasn't quick enough. Two slashes to his leg and torso dropped Brasidas hard to the ground.

"Deimos! ...This fight is between you and me." She needed his attention away from Brasidas if he was to have any chance at survival.

"And it is one you cannot win." Alexios boasts confidently.

The two of them are the only ones who exist in this time. Kassandra looks towards the other fighters, but they all have vanished.

"If Brasidas dies, his blood is on your hands." Kassandra threatens, but it didn't seem to faze him.

"His, yours, and every one of your friends'." Alexios snarls as he goes to strike.

They swing at one another with such a ferocity. There's so much hatred coursing within Alexios that she could feel it. He has no love for her, but she cannot forget how much she loves him. She was there when he was born, she was his protector, his big sister. She could never see him as Deimos, no matter how much he wished for it. He would always be Alexios to her, her little brother. He didn't have to do all of this, he could still be saved.

"Are you mad?! We can still stop-" She had to try to talk him out of this crazed mission. He was being used, why couldn't he see that? He was being fed lies to push an agenda he had no business being a part of.

"Enough!" He shouts. "We will not stop."

She can see a glow emanating from his body and she remembers what will come from this. She knows he has some powers from mater's blood, but she's not ever seen them on full display like it was now. He had raw strength on his side and when he smashed his blade into the dirt beneath them, she could feel the shockwave hit.

"I don't want to kill you, Alexios. But I will stop you." Gods willing he will listen to her this time because unlike Thaletas and Nikolaus, she's never killed him. 

She had only ever entertained the idea of killing him once and that was when she realized just how beaten Kyra was after her interrogations. Otherwise, she finds every reason and every excuse for him to show that he still can be saved. He blamed her for what happened to him, he thought it was her that pushed him off the mountain. Still she persists in trying to find his humanity.

"My name is Deimos!" He yells as he starts his assault. 

They were the most evenly matched because he was just as reckless as she was, if not more unhinged due to his cult influence. He would emit bursts of energy that would force her to roll out of his blast as she tried to land non lethal blows on him to get him to stop. She needed to stop his momentum if she wanted to walk away in victory.

"If we continue, one of us will die." Kassandra grunts out while their two blades remain locked just inches from each others faces.

"Isn't that the point?" He sneers while putting all his might into it, both of them pushing off each other until they're both forced to take a few steps back.

"I found mater." Kassandra offers the information up in a pleading tone.

"Finally reunited, only to lose each other again." As Alexios jumps towards her, a large tree crashes upon him and pins him to the ground.

Only after this all passes, does she remember that she's fought this fight before. She is actively reliving this memory like it never happened, only... that it did... This was a contrast to how her previous two battles turned out because she remembered them while they happened. Her words came back to her like she had only just spoken them, but just moments ago she had no memory of this. 

Her confusion only persists for another moment before she remembers her next actions. She went to try to help Alexios and had a tree fall on top of her as well, knocking her out cold. The next time she saw Alexios after that moment was right before they were captured. If she saved him again, would it still be the same? Would she be crushed by a tree, but have nobody come to her aid?

As Alexios remains pinned under the tree, she's forced to make this decision regarding his fate once again. She knows what he is capable of once he is freed, but if she allows him to die here, would that halt the cult in their tracks? One life lost to save the many, but this wasn't just any life, it was that of her little brother. A man who became so lost within himself that Kassandra didn't know if he had it within him to live life for himself.

Calliope's warning pops into her mind. _"You will only move on once you've killed your target."_. She needed to kill Alexios, even though it went against everything she's worked towards. Perhaps his soul is too lost and that not every life can be saved for the better. Some people are just destined to be on the wrong side and it was her job to enforce that.

She can feel the flames burning hotter and she knows Alexios is only unconscious and she can either let him burn to death or she can end his suffering.

Crouching down, resting upon one knee, Kassandra speaks to him one final time.

"I'm so sorry I could not save you... I love you and have always loved you, but not everyone can be saved. I tried to help you, but you've continued to turn me away. I could've saved you if only you'd given me the chance..."

Kassandra takes her spear and delivers the killing blow through his throat. "May you finally be at peace."

Her heart breaks, but he had chosen this life. She had warned him that if this continued, one of them would die. He just never believed it to be him.

The wind whirls around her, expunging all the fires and Kassandra doesn't bother to watch the environment change as she's brought back to the same cave. Her heart hurts more than her body does and, perhaps, that's the point. These are her demons and that means they live within her in a place she will never forget them. It makes her wonder who her final challenger will be. Everyone she's fought so far has wronged her, but both Nikolaus and Alexios were important people in her life so whomever was last had to surpass even them.

"Prepare yourself for the final challenger." The voice repeats, it's mantra like a melody trapped in her head.

Kassandra knows the drill and she's winded, but she can make one more victory happen. This is the final test and she's come too far to lose now. She clenches her eyes shut as the world around her changes and the first sense of where she is hits her square in the face. 

The sea.

She was back near the water, but the ground wasn't as flexible as the sand was. Still, she smelled the sea air and it gave her a sense of peace, that is... until she opened her eyes.

"No." Kassandra mutters out as she places where she's standing and just what she's seeing. "No. Absolutely not. No way. I'm not doing this."

Before her, Kassandra could not only see another version of herself, but Kyra as well. This was the night they first slept together under the stars. She was off in the wooded area behind them, but she was close enough to hear them. 

As she tries to move forward, she almost falls over because her feet remain planted in place. She needed to stop this. 

"Hey! Over here!" A shout that would normally alert the both of them given their close proximity, falls upon deaf ears.

Kassandra is forced to listen to herself tell the story of a pirate that had tried to kill her.

"So the pirate has one blade at my throat and one at my stomach, and he says, "How do you want to die, misthios, fast or slow?" 

"My gods, what did you do?" 

"He was so focused on me, he never noticed my spear in his leg. He was dead before he knew what happened."

"His leg?"

"A little trick my mater taught me."

"Why is it so easy to talk with you?"

"Because we've lived similar lives, been through similar struggles... Even though we grew up so far apart."

"I want you, Kassandra. Here. Now. Under the stars."

Kassandra can still remember their first kiss and how it made her feel. She didn't know it yet, but her feelings for Kyra were going to be unlike anything she had ever experienced before. That Kyra would be the best part of her life and that she had saved her in more ways than she knows.

She blinks and, in an instant, she's at the spot where she killed Nikolaus in Megaris with Kyra at her side. Well, beside her past self. 

"I killed him, Kyra. I killed my pater right here where we're standing and I don't regret it. All the pain and hurt he caused us, caused our family, I could never forgive that. As he lay dying, he told me that he wasn't even my real pater and that he just stepped in to fill the role. All this time I searched for the both of them only to find out my life was a lie. He raised me and I will never forget that, but he also wedged a stake into our family so much that we all broke. Alexios and I should be dead, but by some miracle we weren't so I just couldn't forgive the man who caused us all such pain. And for what? The Oracle? I killed Nikolaus and fled, but Stentor wouldn't leave me be so I had to kill him too. He had tracked me for a while before he confronted me, but I was the one who came out on top. His death I did not question, he never had the right to call him pater. I am a monster Kyra, I kill because I can sometimes and that should scare you."

Kassandra never got to see just how Kyra looked at her as she poured out a piece of her past. Such adoration and sympathy, but no trace of pity. Kyra remained strong so she didn't have to be for once in her life. 

"I know what you're trying to do and it won't work. I do not fear you Kassandra and I never will. I know you've done some less than reputable things in the past, but I believe in you and the good that you bring. I do not think you're a monster at all."

"You will, eventually, it is why I do not speak about myself to anyone as they will all leave. I only can trust myself and I'd recommend you do the same."

"I trust you unequivocally. Do not shut me out, let me help you."

Kassandra's eyes well up with tears as Kyra's words wash over her. She didn't deserve her. Kyra was not afraid to stand beside her and she was not afraid to stand up to her when the time called for it. Kyra was so generous with herself and it was more than Kassandra deserved.

Another blink, another location. This time, they were at a makeshift campsite in an abandoned bandit camp on their way to Korinthia.

"I can climb buildings, rocks, you name it. All with speed no matter the surface texture."

"What else can you do?"

"I can heal fast. I don't know how many times I've been wounded only to be healed back like it never happened the next day. Major wounds take a bit longer, but I still heal and only usually have a scar as a reminder that it ever happened. I've never shared this with anyone before. At first it was out of necessity as I knew it would make me a target, but then it just grew into this secret that I knew I needed to keep."

"Kassandra, who you are is nothing to be ashamed of. You are a remarkable woman and you should be proud of who you are."

"That's easier said than done Kyra, you must know this. I've spent my life being an outcast and on the wrong side of the line that I just believed it was always better to not share anything with anyone. It's just safer that way."

"I'm sorry you've had to live like this, but I want you to know that I don't think any different of you knowing all of this. You are still you, even if you do defy everything I know about being human."

How blind she was to just how loyal Kyra was to her. Not even hearing that she was some abnormal freak scared her away. Instead, Kyra embraced her with warmth and tenderness.

But the tenderness was quickly replaced by something less affectionate when the next scene played out before her. She was in Argos, they both had stayed with a friend of hers, Polykleitos.

"I've tried so hard Kassandra, so very hard, to always be considerate of your feelings, but I clearly do not get the same courtesy from you. I'm not expecting miracles overnight, but my god Kassandra. All I've wanted to be is close to you, someone you can trust to be yourself, but it's like you're fighting me on every fucking turn. You can't just give me the silent treatment every time something doesn't go your way. It's like every time I make progress, you change the game and the rules and just expect me to be ok with it. Well, I'm not. I'm not ok."

"Good night, Kyra."

"Are you fucking serious? You're now just going to go back to bed after all that? Fuck you, Kassandra. Just fuck you."

"You have told me on at least three separate occasions that you wanted to go to bed, all of which I ignored because I had something to say and I didn't consider how you felt. Now I'm taking the step back and you're mad at me for it? What do you want from me Kyra?"

"Was all you got from me going on that tangent was that you should probably let me go to bed?"

"Of course not! It is just the only thing I can offer you in this exact moment so I thought that was what you wanted."

She remembered this argument well and she also remembered that she had been quite an asshole to her. There was no real reason behind why she did what she did, but she found some joy in getting under Kyra's skin. So far, all this challenge has shown her was how she treated Kyra. She is not impressed with what she's seen and she knows it is only going to get worse as this continues.

The setting swaps to Sparta and she's brought into the kitchen of her old home. She and Kyra are sitting at the table, Kyra's discarded reading material sits nearby.

"I have been awful to you. You were right, I am selfish and I only think of myself and I don't know if I can ever change to who you deserve. You deserve to have someone who can be everything you need without you having to put so much effort in. I know it takes a toll on you and I should not have to be your charity case. I have to know, why are you with me? What gain do you have by being with me? Is it something political?"

"I have nothing to gain Kassandra because I'm not with you for some ulterior motive! How dare you accuse me of something like that. For fucks sake, I thought you knew me better. I would never, ever use anyone for my own success. How could you think me so low?"

"I don't know why I said that."

"Well you did and I can't just pretend like I didn't hear it. Do you enjoy hurting me like this? Is this a test of something sick and sadistic to prove my loyalty?"

"It's not a test and I don't need you to prove anything."

"Clearly you do or we wouldn't keep having this same argument again and again. I feel like I'm stuck repeating myself and you're just not listening."

"I hear you, I do, but I just don't understand why. Why you care, why you want to waste your time with me, why you're still here?"

"Because I love you! Because I fucking love you..."

"You, you love me?"

"Yes! God knows why, but I do and I always have since that night on the beach. It has always been you. I can't tell you why like you want me to because I don't even know, but what I do know is that I do love you because you're exactly who you are. I have never wanted to change you Kassandra, I've only ever wanted to help you grow. It really, really hurts me that you think I could be so vindictive and cruel. I am going for a walk, I need some air."

Kassandra watches as Kyra storms out the door and she can see the hurt she caused her. Kyra had given her no reason to doubt her, but still she couldn't believe that a woman like Kyra could ever love a woman like her. 

Unlike every flashback before, the setting doesn't change much and Kassandra has an idea of what she's about to see. There is only one situation worse than what she just saw and she's already dreading it.

She watches as she and her mater walk through the door, completely oblivious to the storm that is about to come.

"Kyra, what's wrong? Talk to me." 

Kassandra winces even now with how hard the scroll was shoved into her chest. She watches as the pieces click together in her mind and her biggest regret comes to fruition in front of her face.

"Kyra, I-"

Kassandra knew she was a fool for keeping it from her all this time. She _knew_ this would end badly, but she just didn't care. She was more worried about the short term benefits over the long term gain.

Kassandra was emotionally being dragged through the coals and she was failing to understand just what she needed to kill here. She wasn't able to move on her own so how was she expected to take such an action?

"I've seen enough! Why drag this out? What is your point?" Kassandra yells to nobody in particular. She knows she's being watched so there was no doubt that she was being heard. "This is not a challenger!"

The house begins to tremor and the ground begins to shake under her feet. Everything around her was tipping over or falling off the shelves before the flooring crumbled and gave way. Being frozen to her spot, she couldn't do anything to stop it from reaching her and soon, she herself was falling into the unknown. 

Kassandra's slams hard into the ground chest first, knocking the wind from her.

"Nghhhhhhhh..." Kassandra moans out in pain, her face still smack down on the surface beneath her.

She didn't want to move. Her whole entire body was in tremendous pain from the impact and she still hadn't faced her final opponent. If she wasn't able to bounce back from this, she'd be at an extreme disadvantage for whoever it was. Not to mention that her body began to heat up where her exposed skin was touching the ground. Using what energy she had left, Kassandra flops herself over to her back before she stares up.

She had landed back in the volcanic cave which meant that she had to keep moving or else she'd burn herself from the heat. She wasn't even sure she could stand up, yet alone get back up to fight, but the idea of more pain if she didn't move was enough for her to give it a shot.

Slowly yet surely, she got onto her hands and knees and was able to push herself up into an upright position. Her legs ached, but nowhere near as much as her upper body did.

"Your final challenge is now." The voice chimes in. "Kill your opponent and we will grant you your freedom."

Two figures walk towards the center of the arena. On her left there was Kyra and on her right was a past version of herself. Both clad in their traditional attire and weaponry, both standing perfectly still.

Still feeling the brunt of the impact, Kassandra takes a few tentative steps closer to the both of them. Neither seem to acknowledge her and both remain stiff as a board. She's weary of getting too close, but as a precaution, she unsheathes her spear.

"You must kill her." The voice announces. "Do it, do it now!"

Kassandra's past self turns towards Kyra and it becomes clear who they're implying for her to kill.

It's Kyra.

"I can't do this. I don't believe you!" Kassandra yells in a rage. "Kyra is no demon of mine, you've gotten it wrong! I love her and I'd do anything for her, she gives me life. Keep her out of this!"

Kassandra is met with silence, something she should be used to by now from this lot. Only now, she wasn't going to just accept it.

"I demand you face me! Melanthios, Calliope, and who ever the fuck the other one is, present yourself to me and fight me! I will not kill Kyra, she shouldn't be here. Don't you see that?! If you knew me at all, like you claim to, you'd know that she cannot possibly be my final demon. I refuse to kill her!"

Kassandra doesn't get a verbal response, but what she does get is even more harrowing. The lava that encompasses them begins to slowly encroach towards the three of them, ensuring that they will all meet their demise soon if Kassandra continues to withhold the final blow.

"Please! You've got to listen to me!" Kassandra begs. "You've got this all wrong! I cannot kill Kyra..."

Calliope had said that Kyra wasn't dead, but was close so maybe this is what she meant. Kyra could have gotten sucked into whatever trickery this was and that she just couldn't speak to her. If Kassandra kills this Kyra, there's a chance that she kills the _real_ Kyra. However, this could all just be another trick and Kyra was not here with her and this person in front of her was only Kyra in appearances sake.

The lava continues its progression towards the three of them and Kassandra estimates she's got about thirty seconds before it reaches them. Thirty seconds to decide her fate and that of the Greek world. 

"Don't make me do this!" Kassandra pleads as her eyes dart between the two fixated people before her.

Twenty seconds to go. The heat is intense and she's sweating profusely. Her mind was still not sold on having to kill Kyra and her mind races to come up with any alternative. She could not bear to harm Kyra, but she also did not want to spend the rest of eternity in Hades.

Ten seconds to go. Her skin burns from the proximity and the heat is so intense that she's not able to breathe properly. It was now or never and Kassandra had to make a decision.

"I'm sorry!" Kassandra shouts out before she plunges her spear into the heart. She keeps her eyes shut, unwilling to see what happens next. Had she made the right decision? Did her gamble pay off?

Three, two, one...

Nothing.

Kassandra scrunches her eyes tight as she waits to feel the scorching flames of Hades, but nothing comes. In fact, she could feel no heat at all. She was afraid of what she was going to see, but she had to face her choice sooner or later so it might as well be now. 

Opening her eyes, Kassandra is back where she met Melanthios and she sees her body still floating. Remembering how she got shocked when she tried to touch her body before, Kassandra reaches out her hand to find no resistance. 

She had done it!

She had won the trials and now she was returning back to her world. Taking care to line herself up with her other body, Kassandra lays flat and she feels a surge of energy course through her.

Her world goes black.

She can feel her two bodies connecting. Her legs now felt weighted, her lower abdomen stung greatly, her right arm throbbed in pain, and her nose felt swollen. Every ache and pain she felt hit her all at once and she knew she had returned back to her body.

Kassandra had chosen correct, allowing her for another shot at redemption. In her final moments, Kassandra had made the decision to spare Kyra and, instead, plunged the spear into the heart of her past self. The lesson she needed to learn, that she did learn, was that she was her own worst enemy and that she would bring herself down before anyone else ever had the chance. 

She got to witness the hurt she caused not only Kyra, but herself for the words and actions she chose. She was so convinced at how awful she thought she was that she became it and more. Kyra had seen who she was and still didn't look away, but Kassandra couldn't see past herself to realize this until it was almost too late. She was her own demon and Kyra was her light. Her heart never faltered when it mattered and she could never harm Kyra like that whether she was real or fake. 

A bolt of lightning crashes into the water above her and it travels until it hits her square in the chest. The energy from the bolt sends her body into overdrive and she can feel it coursing through her veins. 

Kassandra's eyes shoot open from the sensation and she lets out a guttural scream.

She was alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see that end coming? Did you guess Kassandra was her own worst demon or did you believe it to be Kyra?


	36. Everything (Virgo)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting down to the wire! After this monster of a chapter, I've decided that there will only be one chapter left, giving us a total of 37 whole chapters! What a journey this has been and what it will continue to be. This chapter focuses back on Kyra's perspective since she's been missing for the past 4 chapters so this is about getting her and her story up to speed. Most of this is her view point on chapters 32 & 33, but there is new content in here as well.
> 
> Hope you've got time to just sit and indulge because this bad boy is a long one! As always, I'd love to hear from you in the comments about anything and everything. I appreciate you all so much 🧡
> 
> Karmin - Everything (Virgo)  
> https://youtu.be/HaZlH2JOtHo

_(Current time)_

There are certain moments in life that will be remembered for the rest of time. Moments that, no matter how hard, cannot be forgotten. They become ingrained like a mental scar that can never fully heal and the thought of it can never truly disappear. Moments that leech a piece of the soul every time it comes to mind. For Kyra, those moments seemed to be happening at an alarming rate. 

It all started to go wrong so fast and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The forces that be had decided that she was not worthy of any happiness in her life and, in the span of a day, she had lost everything. Kassandra had been acting strange since she woke, but Kyra couldn't quite figure out why at the time. Always insisting that she take the lead, even when she's barely held together herself. How much of a fool she was for not seeing what Kassandra was doing. If only she had seen it, maybe she could have saved her. If only she had been stronger, Kassandra wouldn't have felt that she had to sacrifice herself to protect her...

_(Previous day, mid morning)_

She can't do this anymore. Her body is in pain, _so_ much pain... Every minute that passes by, the worse she feels. The hunger, the thirst, the general discomfort. She would kill almost anyone for a hot bath too sooth her bones and wash away all of the grime she feels. Being dirty is not something new, she had lived in a cave with a bunch of men and women so she could handle it, but this... this whole situation made her feel so dirty. It was the lowest of lows and she could see no hope. They were trapped and there was nothing she could do about it.

She could sense Kassandra's frustration amassing with every word she didn't say and every action she didn't do. Kassandra had never voiced this, but Kyra wasn't stupid. She knew Kassandra's tells and she knew that she was irritated by her lack of effort. Even with this knowledge, she couldn't find it within herself to motivate. What was the point anymore? What was the point of anything for that matter? 

She could feel Kassandra's gaze whenever she got close enough, it weighed heavily against her skin. Her bruises became all the more prominent when Kassandra's eyes were upon them. She hated it, she hated the pity she saw. She didn't want the looks and she didn't want the attention. Each time Kassandra tried to be close to her, she backed off. After everything that was happening to them, her mind couldn't think straight to reciprocate any feelings. She didn't want to hurt Kassandra, but she just couldn't find it within herself to feel it. Her only showing of life was whenever Kassandra returned from the upper deck and got tied back to the cell. It was always fruitless, but she would always try to get Kassandra's hands free. 

The continual failure did nothing to lift her spirits so she resigned herself to her corner and huddled herself up in as tight of a ball as she could manage. She was cold too on top of everything else and the draft they would get was not helping matters. All she wanted to do was just sleep away the entirety of the day, but even sleep eluded her. No matter how exhausted she was (and continued to be), her body would not allow her the rest. What little sleep she did get was anything but peaceful. Her dreams were nightmares and they could rival the worst of what she was living through. If she were lucky, she would dream of herself back home sitting on the beach, just listening to the stories Kassandra told. Her only comfort came from Kassandra's voice whether she was sleeping or awake. It didn't matter what she spoke about, just as long as she said something.

For whatever reason, Kassandra had taken up the habit to talk to her without her actually participating. She had addressed her by name at first, but as the time passed without an answer, Kassandra would just respond in her place instead. It was amusing enough to distract her from the pain she was feeling so she let it continue. Kyra knew that if she asked for Kassandra to stop, she would, but she didn't want to take that from her. It was bad enough as it was without the eerie silence. Sometimes she would even roll herself over so that she could watch Kassandra speak as animatedly as she could without hands. However, it couldn't last forever and Kassandra soon gave it up in favor of the silence.

She doesn't blame her for giving up too, gods know she's already accepted the inevitable. Each time Kassandra would try to engage her, she was met by perpetual silence each and every time. She missed her voice, but she couldn't find the courage to speak out for it. It would be a simple request and Kassandra would oblige her, but she just _couldn't_. Her voice failed her, just like her body had.

Kyra knew that she was slowly losing her grip on reality and some of the things she's seen... she wasn't sure what was real or not anymore. The nightmares had become interwoven with her reality and she could no longer tell the difference. She was constantly second guessing if she were awake or not, but it never seemed to matter because this figure was always there. There was some sort of shadow that was down here with them, she just knew it. It was shaped like a person when she dared seek it, but everything about it was black. She could feel its eyes on her as she lay still on the floor with her eyes squeezed shut. She tried her best to not look at it to see if it would go away, but nothing worked. Its presence was always there and she knew it, but if she ignored it for long enough then just maybe it would go away.

"Kyra." The shadow speaks to her. "You cannot hide from me."

Kyra doesn't dare open her eyes in sheer fear of what she might see. She would pretend like it didn't just speak to her and didn't make her want to scream in fear.

"You cannot ignore what I am, Kyra. Soon enough you will see or I will make you see by force. There's nowhere for you to hide from me." The voice ominously threatens, causing Kyra to flinch violently as she feels the ghosting of a touch move across her arm.

She jerks hard enough that Kassandra speaks up, providing a small relief that she's not alone here.

"Kyra? Kyra, what happened? Are you alright?" 

"I- I don't think so." She didn't know how to explain it, but she was anything but alright. 

"Talk to me, tell me what is wrong."

"I think I'm losing my sense of reality. I am seeing things and feeling things that aren't here and I don't know how to make it stop."

She didn't expect Kassandra to believe her, she wouldn't blame her. It sounded like she was a lunatic, but she saw no judgment in Kassandra's eyes.

"How long has this been happening?"

"I think two days now, but I'm not sure. I've lost all sense of time being down here. I know it sounds crazy, but I just don't know down from up, at least I don't think I do."

"Do you think you're in that now or do you think this is real?" 

"I haven't decided yet. It usually starts off normal before something terrible happens and then I wake up."

Wait just a minute... Hadn't she already had this conversation before? It seemed oddly familiar.

"How can I help you? What do you think I could do to prove that I am real and that you're here with me?"

By some miracle, it looked like Kassandra believed her after all! Still, she wouldn't get too hopeful until she knew for sure this wasn't just a cruel trick.

"Tell me something that you've never told me before. Something that I know I couldn't fabricate in my own mind."

"So like a story?"

"Yes."

"Um, ok, let's see..." Kassandra recounts a story of her fighting prowess, a story that Kyra had indeed never heard of, but one she believes. What made it believable, however, was her least favorite part.

"Roxana. Roxana of Hydrea."

The name was of no importance to her, but, wait, why did it sound so familiar? Her head became fuzzy and began to ache when she repeated it. Why couldn't she remember? The ache grew in its intensity until her mind blanked on any past knowledge of this conversation, leaving her to pick up where she left off.

What mattered was what this woman meant to Kassandra. She could hear the softness in her voice as she spoke her name so she has to be important, at least a little bit. Now that she's thinking about it, hadn't Kassandra said that she recruited her to the crew of the Adrestia? She tries to picture who she may have encountered, but she doesn't recall ever meeting anyone by that name. This makes her all the more curious as to what she'd be mad about... unless... "You slept with her, didn't you?"

"I did, yes."

An unfortunate answer.

"When was this?" Kyra knew they had spent many nights apart from one another and Kassandra did have quite the reputation. She didn't want to know the answer to this, but she needed to. It would not leave her mind if Kassandra deflected.

"She was before I met you."

Better she supposes, but still not ideal. 

"How many women have you been with?" Kyra has always wondered how many women there were before her. Kassandra could be charming when she wanted to be and Kyra knows she's probably not the only woman to make the Eagle Bearer flustered with her flirting.

"What? Why does that matter?"

Kyra can feel Kassandra's defensiveness rising. It gives her more of an idea of what the answer is by how sharply Kassandra's reacting. Now she really wants to know. "It matters to me, I'm just curious."

"I don't- I don't have a number."

"Not even a guess?" Kyra tries for more, but to no avail.

"Honestly, no. Does this bother you?"

Kyra remembers feeling so angry at this time, but why? She presses her palm to her forehead and squeezes her eyes tightly. She couldn't possibly have know what Kassandra was saying, but she did. The pain in her head intensified to the point that it made her feel nauseous. Kassandra was none the wiser, only waiting for her to answer. It felt like her mind was punishing her for remembering this, but it made no sense...

Just like before, her mind blanks itself back out and she just picks up where her train of thought ended.

Does it bother her that she's fucked so many women that she lost track? That dozens, possibly _hundreds_ of women have had their hands all over her body? Of course it bothers her! What kind of foolish question was that?! It enrages her to no end that the vast majority of all the women in Greece all know what it feels like to lose control under her body, under her touch. That unlike her own body, nothing about Kassandra's is a secret. Sex was always used so freely in Kassandra's world, given in an almost instant. It made her question just what she had to offer her. Would she grow tired of only having her? Could she be enough? The worry sunk deep within her heart, but she would never say as much for fear that it would change everything. 

It was better now to keep it quiet, keep it simple, for the lack of information Kassandra had, the better. "Yes."

"How about you? I'm sure you've seen your fair share."

Deflection once again. Kassandra must feel some sense of guilt over her number (or lack thereof) that she's trying to even the field. Unfortunately for her, she's going to get just the opposite.

"Three."

The look on Kassandra's face was pure disbelief. Kyra wasn't sure if she should be flattered or offended.

"Only three? You must be joking, there's no way. I find it hard to believe Kyra, I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous and you must have had all the townspeople lining up at your door."

She's going to go with offended at the implication.

"I am more than just a pretty face, Kassandra. Believe it or not, I don't just toss myself in bed with who ever decides to breathe my direction."

Kyra knew she had struck a low blow, but she didn't appreciate what Kassandra was insinuating. There was nothing wrong with who she chose (or lack thereof) to give her body to. Sex wasn't just something she wanted to have, she needed that emotional connection first. It was clearly something foreign to Kassandra so she wouldn't expect her to understand.

"Who else was there besides Thaletas and myself then?"

This brings Kyra back to simpler times, when the world wasn't trying to take her down. Back when life was more simple and the responsibilities didn't rest on her. 

"I had dated a man who died in a fishing accident shortly after our one year of courting when I was younger and, after that loss, I just had no desire to be with anyone until I met you and Thaletas."

She remembers her young lover, Tassos, as a young man full of energy who got caught up in unforeseen circumstances. She didn't know if she loved him, but he was good to her and cared for her in return. She hadn't know traditional love, but he tried to keep her protected and that was something she could respect. They were both members of the resistance, but his focus was more on becoming a fisherman like his pater than on his duties there. 

Her first time was sloppy, rushed, and unfulfilling, but Tassos seemed to enjoy it so it wasn't a completely awful situation. She knew that he would be the man she married at this point, but an accident kept her from that mundane life. His boat sank during a harsh storm and his body (along with a few others) washed up on the shore a few days after their expected return date. From there, she had decided she would not be so free with herself in honor of him. Tassos had loved her and she knew she deserved that before she gave herself away.

"Wait, wait, wait, so before me you'd never been with a woman?"

"Nope, you were the first."

"No way. No way, no way, no way... Why didn't you tell me?"

Had Kassandra forgotten how they first met? There was never the time nor the place for such honesty. All that mattered was that she knew what she wanted and she wanted Kassandra. The last thing she wanted to do was look inexperienced when faced with the woman who made her heart skip beats. "Why would I have? I was afraid it would scare you away and I can see now that I was right to be wary."

"It's not that, Kyra, I promise. I have been many women's firsts with another woman so that wouldn't have discouraged me in the slightest. I just would have done more to make it special for you. I just assumed you knew what was happening."

Kyra knows Kassandra meant those words to be comforting, but it only reminded her of just how experienced Kassandra was in comparison. Having been the first time with another woman on multiple occasions isn't something many can speak of. It didn't even matter that Kassandra was indeed a woman, not a man like her other lovers, just that she had done this before several times over.

"It's not all that different from being with a man to an extent if I'm honest. There's a purpose of release, but the journey to get there just varies a bit. I just thought about what I enjoyed when I was by myself and acted on it."

"I never would have known had you not just told me. I would have considered you an expert."

At least she hadn't made a fool of herself. "I'll take that as a compliment."

A beat passes and Kyra knows Kassandra isn't finished with this topic yet. She can see the wheels turning over in her mind and she braces herself for whatever she needs to know.

"Why did you change your mind with me?" 

That question... 

She remembers what she told Kassandra and she remembered where this went so why is this happening again? Was this a dream or, was the last one a dream of sorts? A premonition maybe? Did what she say last time not meet whatever qualification and she had to do this over again? None of it made any sense, but the only thing she knew was still there with her was this shadow figure. Did that have anything to do with this?

Maybe she just really was crazy.

She had no idea what she did wrong that she had to try again, but perhaps it would be different this time around. If she just kept up like nothing was wrong, maybe it would all work out? Her headache only seemed to stem from when she remembered too much so, perhaps, this conversation would all come naturally again to her. It still wouldn't explain why this was happening, but it seemed best to not question it. All she knew was that she needed to feel what she felt the last time.

Kassandra had last asked her why she changed her mind so she needed to give her an answer and talk about it before something bad happened. Kyra wasn't sure if there would be repercussions if she didn't play along so for everyone's sake, she'd do her best.

Kassandra had asked her like she even had a choice. Her heart knew before she did what she wanted and why. "I felt something with you that I've never felt with anyone else. For the first time in my life, when you were near me, I felt safe. Thaletas had tried to make me feel like that, but it was only natural with you and I don't even think you were trying. Once I knew you weren't a threat, I felt a tug towards you that I couldn't explain. I didn't know how yet, but I knew you would be special to me."

"I didn't realize, I'm sorry. I hope you don't think less of me for the fact that I have a lot of past... _experience_."

As unhappy as Kyra was about this knowledge, she knew what she was getting into when this began. The Eagle Bearer had a reputation as both a misthios and as a lover so any false wishes or hopes were her own fault. "I will admit, it is a bit... shocking, but I think it's something that I already knew deep down. I have eyes and I'm sure you've met lots of women like me and given them something to remember for life. I never believed I was ever the only one."

"You're the only one that matters." 

Kyra fights the urge to roll her eyes at this line. She can't help but wonder how many other ladies under Kassandra's charm swooned as they heard such tender words. "You don't need to try to flatter me by saying that, you already have my heart in your hands anyway."

"I do not aim to flatter you because that would indicate that I had ulterior motives for why I said what I did. No, no, I said it because it is true. I may have seen my fair share of women, but none were ever you." 

Kyra didn't know the level of sincerity here, but judging by how Kassandra looked at her, she could assume she was not playing around. To have such words come from Kassandra, yet alone for them to be meant, was something she'd long given up hope in hearing. Her heart and her head were at odds so she did the only thing she could to break the moment. She glanced away.

"You can look away from me, but that doesn't make what I'm telling you less true. I know I have a reputation for being a womanizer more or less, but that all changed once I met you."

Kassandra was not going to let this go so looking away was useless. If she was going to catch Kassandra lying to her to make her feel better, she'd need to look. Kyra's glance meets back to Kassandra's and the skepticism remains strong and steadfast. "Is that so?"

"It is true. Ever since we've been together, I've been with no other."

Since they've been together? That lasted all of but a week it felt like so if that was the standard for her to abstain from sex, the bar was set incredibly low. "You forget that we never were in a relationship until much later and, even then, it didn't last very long."

"I'm talking about the very moment our paths crossed again until now. There has never been another in my bed."

Kyra gives Kassandra an appraising glance and, to Kassandra's credit, she cannot detect any deception. With how serious she was speaking now, Kyra wondered if Kassandra could handle a more serious topic. "Do you remember asking me about if I saw myself as a wife?"

It seemed to be the right time to share this as they were going to die anyway so she may as well die with one last thing on her conscious.

"I do, yes."

"I had told you yes initially, but that I had changed my mind since. You asked me what changed when I said I was unsure and I never gave you an answer. Do you want to know why?"

"Of course I would."

"You. You are why I changed my mind." Kyra affirms.

"I don't understand." 

How very Kassandra to miss what was right in front of her. She would have to spell it out to her. "I had always seen myself having a life partner and children until I met you and, from how I knew you to be, I knew from then on that it was never going to happen for me because I chose you. The moment we crossed that line together on the beach, you were it for me. As much as I may have wanted such a life, you just weren't that person and you never would be. I knew you would never fit into how I had envisioned my future so I let it go. I no longer wanted to think about settling down because I knew if I did that, it would mean you were no longer in my life and it wasn't something I could bear. You could easily have anyone you wanted and I knew that if I wanted to have a chance of keeping your attention, that I could never push for more. I love you, Kassandra, and that means I will sacrifice what I want for you."

"Kyra, that's a- well, that's a lot to take in and I'm trying to do better in expressing my feelings to you so be patient with me as I work out what I'm trying to say, yeah?"

Kyra gives a small nod of approval for Kassandra to continue.

"There is one thing I want to make very clear to you and I would like it if you could move closer to me. Do you think you could handle that?"

Hang on, this part of the conversation she didn't recognize. Kassandra had never answered her before like this or had she?. She must have hallucinated what happened before because this was not how the conversation went, at least she thought...

The only thing she knew is that she couldn't trust herself and that meant that this could also not be real. How many times could she hear the same story? For that matter, how many times had she heard the story before? How many times have they had these discussions? Had she died and is living her last moments in some sort of purgatory? None of it made any sense! 

Kassandra didn't seem to notice anything off either so that meant she couldn't be real, right? But what she was telling her now was new and was different so does it mean she's finally awake?

Kassandra was still waiting for her to give an answer and as much as she would love to dwell on the alarming amounts of gaps in her memory, she didn't want to do it now. All she wanted right now was to be close to Kassandra because she was always her safe place, no matter what. She knew Kassandra would never want to harm her and that is what would make her decide if she was real or if it was all her imagination. Every version of Kassandra she'd dreamt up had harmed her in some sort of way, but the only way her _real_ Kassandra had ever harmed her was emotionally, not physically. 

Kassandra had broken her heart, but it wasn't literal. All the other Kassandra's she's imagined would've broken her heart for real. Even though her mind still wanted to withdraw itself away from her, she had to fight it.

It was not an unreasonable request for her to move closer as they were having a genuine moment. Kassandra would still tell her if she didn't move, but from just _how_ Kassandra is asking her, she knows it's important to her. Using some of the minimal strength that her body still possessed, she used the bars of the cell to stand up. A little wobbly at first, but Kyra manages to go stand in front of Kassandra.

"Would it be alright if you sat on my lap? I have a hard time seeing you from all the way up there."

Kyra hesitated for a split second, wondering how she would be looked at when they were face to face. Could she handle her this close? Her body made the decision for her as, before she knew it, she was rested on Kassandra's lap.

"That's wonderful, thank you Kyra."

She can't help but blush a little at the praise. 

"Please look at me when I tell you this because I don't want you to have any doubts. I also want you to listen to me and listen very carefully."

Kyra takes a deep and steadying breath, moving her head slightly to look Kassandra in the eyes.

"Kyra, I love you so much. Nobody brings me more joy or brightens my life like you. I seem to always be apologizing to you for something I did or something I said and I don't think it will ever change, but now I have to say I'm sorry for how I made you feel."

Kassandra must have picked up on how uncomfortable she felt during that whole ordeal. It wasn't her intention to make Kassandra feel so bad about it, honest. She only had thought these things, but it must have been quite apparent of her displeasure now that she thinks about it. She made no move to mask her face, so Kassandra must've noticed and now she herself feels guilty for internally shaming her. 

Kyra leans her forehead closer so that hers and Kassandra's lightly touch. "You don't have to do this Kassandra. This is my problem, not yours."

At that comment, Kassandra pulls away from her and the look she's giving is a serious one.

"No. This isn't just your problem, this is our problem. Your problems are my problems because I love you. I had no idea these thoughts ever crossed your mind and I would love to look at you and tell you that you could have just told me, but we both know that would be a lie. I was always too selfish and self absorbed in my own problems that I never saw yours. You did as I did and I came to expect that, which was very wrong of me. I was so single minded that I never gave you my proper attention until it was too late. To know that you thought of a future with me, a life, it's... overwhelming."

_Oh._

Kyra had had just about enough of getting stepped on in any mannerism now. Her heart couldn't keep taking this rejection and here she was, foolish enough to think that this time would be different. She didn't want to be this close to her right now, she needed to get some space.

As soon as she pulls back, Kassandra's kiss falls upon her lips and she becomes frozen. This was the opposite of what she had expected, but the kiss had reminded her of everything she's been needing. Her moment of pause doesn't last long before she returns the kiss. It was short, sweet, and unexpected.

"Please don't pull away from me."

She hears the plea in Kassandra's voice at this request. She can hear the desperation and as much as her mind is telling her to go, her heart has other plans. 

"Ok." Kyra speaks softly before she moves towards Kassandra and resumes their kiss. 

She had been fighting against this sensation, this sort of dangerous hope that Kassandra gave her in a kiss like this. She's noticed it before and it is coming in stronger than ever now. It is hard to explain it, but she always knows the difference in how Kassandra is feeling by how her lips move. She could feel the love just pouring at Kassandra's touch and it broke her heart. To know that such a love would be gone too soon, destined to burn out before they even had a chance to ignite. It just made what time they did have matter more than ever and it meant that she needed to get out of her own way so that she could give Kassandra all she deserves.

Sensing Kassandra's mind wandering, she decides to get her focus back in the best of ways. Feeling so bold, she bites with some force on Kassandra's lower lip and she almost immediately tastes the blood. Her plan worked... sort of... as Kassandra's eyes come back to focus for a moment when she tastes it too. Kyra cannot help but flash a wicked smile, but Kassandra doesn't react in the way she expected. Instead of continuing the roughness, Kyra instead feels Kassandra nuzzle in her neck, almost like a hug.

Something didn't feel right... 

"Kassandra?" A soft attempt to get her attention, but it goes unheard.

"Kassandra?" Kyra tries again a bit louder, but still no luck.

"Kassandra??" Nothing again! This is getting ridiculous. Was she upset with her? The worry began to creep its way into her mind.

Much louder this time and more forceful, Kyra goes for her final attempt. "Kassandra?!"

"Hmm? What was that?"

Oh thank the gods.

"I said your name four times before you responded. You just kind of stopped and I was worried I overstepped."

"Gods no, you didn't overstep, not even a little. I got to thinking about us and that got me reflecting on how all of this started and, as much as I blamed you for our predicament now, the truth is this is all on me."

"How can you say that?" Kyra pulls back, confused at Kassandra's confession. "This isn't your fault, Kassandra, it's mine. My actions got us here, you tried to stop me."

"Yes, but none of this would have happened if I'd have just talked to you. If I had been honest from the start with Thaletas, we wouldn't be here now. You might have hated me and you may have not wanted me to be in your life, but you would have been safe. I hate that I've put you in this position because you deserve to live among the stars and not trapped underneath rotting wood."

Oh Kassandra, ever the bleeding heart at the most inopportune time. Couldn't she see that there's nowhere else she'd rather be? Even if it meant her untimely demise, at least she would be at Kassandra's side until the bitter end. How could she even think that she'd want her old life back now. "Is that what you think I want? To go back to how it all used to be?"

"I mean, yeah, why wouldn't you? I know you love me, but you wouldn't have known any better. You wouldn't be doubting everything you've ever dreamed of. You could have had the life you always imagined, without all this chaos."

What is it with this woman?! How many times has she told her that this is what she wants? That being with Kassandra is all that matters? They've talked about this, again and again, but she still can't seem to accept it. "Kassandra, did you not listen to anything I said? What part made you jump to the conclusion that I wish I'd never known you?"

Kyra scoots herself backwards, off Kassandra's lap and onto the floor. She can't be this close to her now when she's like this. Kassandra is trying to push her away again and she's not having it. "I swear to the gods that we keep having this same argument and you never hear what I'm telling you! For all your requests of me listening, you'd think you'd show me the same courtesy."

"I do listen to you! I do, but you just can't just keep saying this stuff."

"Saying what?! What am I saying that keeps making you block out everything I tell you and twist it into something else?" 

What Kyra would really like to know is where in the hell this is all coming from. They were reconnecting again until Kassandra got this notion back in her mind that she would be better off without her. 

"I hear you crystal clear, but do you hear yourself? How much have you had to sacrifice because of me? How many feelings did you swallow down just because you were afraid I'd just walk away? That's not love Kyra."

"So now you're telling me that because I'm willing to compromise, that I don't love you? What the fuck is wrong with you? Why do you have to find a fault with everything?"

For being so smart in battle, Kassandra is beyond stupid in the world of love. Can she not see that a compromise is showing you value your partner as much as yourself? How can Kassandra find a fault in her just doing her fair share? And to say that it isn't love?

"What you're doing isn't a compromise, can't you see that? You being willing to shed your entire identity for me isn't what love is! Love is compromise, yes, but you can't be the only one making the effort..."

Kassandra's next words die on her tongue and Kyra watches her face change from conviction, to sadness, and finally, to anger. 

"Oh my god, why didn't I see this before? I'm such a malaka!"

Kassandra jerks her whole body in an angry lash.

The sudden outburst causes Kyra to jump, alarming her, but for what? She's got no idea. "See what? Kassandra? What do you see?"

"I don't deserve you... can't you see that? I say I love you, but I've not given a single thing to you. You keep giving and giving and all I do is take, but what have I given you? You're so pure, like a jewel, and I'm only dulling your shine. I have failed your love."

Seeing Kassandra crying was a vulnerability she never thought she'd be allowed to see. A woman more powerful than any other, broken to pieces over feeling unworthy of her love. As mad as Kyra wants to be for Kassandra (yet again) ignoring her words, she couldn't find it within her. All she wanted to do was make Kassandra feel better and stop the hurting she was so desperately feeling.

Cupping Kassandra's face, she wipes away a tear. "Is that really what you think?" Her voice soft, a stark contrast from just a moment prior.

Kassandra nods in affirmation before her hands move to cover her face. The shame she must be feeling when she needn't to, how much sh-...

Kyra's inner thoughts cease as she looks harder at the vision in front of her. Something didn't seem right, but she couldn't tell just what...

HER HANDS! HER HANDS WERE FREE!

"Kassandra! Your hands... look!" Kyra exclaims as Kassandra pulls them away, giving them a pleasantly surprised once over. 

Taking a hand in her own, she looks it over and notices the deep red marks on her wrist from when she struggled. It makes her wonder how long Kassandra's had them free since the wound still looks quite raw. "How long have you been free?" 

"I- I don't know... it couldn't have been very long."

"Do you know what this means?" Kyra couldn't hide the excitement in her voice as she asked the question.

"Oh yeah." Kassandra cockily remarks as she forms a fist. "It means someone's about to get their face smashed in courtesy of me."

She heard not a word of what Kassandra spoke because a feeling grew inside her, one she thought was long gone. She felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. This would be their way out. "We can go home."

Kyra doesn't want to waste a second more at trying to get out of here. A renewed energy strikes and she stands up with the pain being the furthest from her mind. She sees Kassandra struggling to get her legs right to stand so she offers her hand, to which, Kassandra gladly takes. She watches as Kassandra becomes full of life, bouncing around their small space, finding it all quite inspiring. Kyra notices a smile gracing Kassandra's face and she hadn't realized how much she's missed that look. To see her back in her element was just profound, truly remarkable that she can't help but smile too. But again, something seemed all to familiar...

She had definitely done this all before. Kyra still remembers the elation she felt at the good news and, perhaps most importantly, she remembers what's to come. Kassandra was going to waltz right up to her and make her forget about anyone else having ever touched her body. A shiver of anticipation tingles through her body as she knows exactly what is to come. 

Dream or no dream, she was not missing out on this.

Kassandra looks towards her and, in an instant, has moved so they're face to face. She takes Kyra's hands in her own and gently caresses them. It was a sweet and missed gesture, but more importantly, it was just wonderful to hold her hand. The rough and calloused skin she had found a comfort in, a touch unlike any other. She craved it so and, to her pleasure, apparently so did Kassandra.

Those rough hands trace their way up her arm until they settle behind her neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps along the way. Every part of her body that Kassandra touched was on fire and she wants more. 

She _needs_ more.

"Do it. Please..." Kyra all but begs, knowing Kassandra is hesitant. She can see the look of concern, but she doesn't care. "It will hurt, but I'd rather feel the pain from you than from him."

She watches as Kassandra mulls her request over, seemingly accepting it.

"If it is too much, I need you to tell me."

"Deal."

The anticipation was enough to leave her throat dry and her body at a heightened sensitivity. Kassandra was going to ravish her inch by inch and she couldn't wait.

Kassandra makes the first move, a nod to their past, by grabbing her throat with a firm grip. She gasps at the touch (as it did catch her off guard), but Kassandra doesn't go further.

Kyra focuses enough to realize that Kassandra's hesitating, but she didn't need to. The sounds of pained pleasure can be hard to decipher so she would need to assure her she was fine. As much as she needed this, she knew Kassandra wasn't comfortable hurting her so she would need to be better at controlling her sounds or this would stop before it even started. 

Her tone taking a firm edge, Kyra gives her what she needs to hear, a command. "Don't stop." 

The change in Kassandra's demeanor is immediate and Kyra gets forced backwards until her back slams up against the bar. She hisses from the pain, but Kassandra doesn't hesitate. Not again.

The next several moments pass by in a haze. Kassandra's touch is felt _everywhere_ and it's overwhelming. Every part of her body that was marred with a hue of dark blue was now painted with a deep red. Kyra could feel the hand imprints, the nail scratches, and the teeth marks on every open surface of her body. Hands now pinned above, Kassandra shifts her so that she's straddling her muscular thigh. It hurt so much, but the rush she felt more than countered it. Kassandra was feverishly ravaging her and it was all she could to contain herself. She was lost in a sea of bliss and she couldn't wait to drown in it.

Kassandra had made her feel desirable, even when she wasn't. She made her feel alive again. The undeniable lust and passion between them sparking enough to cause an explosion that overtook all rational thought from her mind. Kassandra's control, her commands, it all unwound her too soon. Before she knew it, she was arching for her release and letting her body go...

Her body ached everywhere and she was thoroughly spent. She knew standing would not even be possible right now so she was grateful to still have Kassandra still pressed up against her. Holding her upright, she allows her to lead them back to Kassandra's spot and settles them both to the floor. 

Taking this as an invitation, Kyra rests her head on Kassandra's lap and looks up at her. Kassandra's earlier words still swirling around her mind about how she's not who she deserves. How she couldn't have been more wrong, but maybe she's been going about this the wrong way. Telling Kassandra isn't enough, but perhaps allowing her to prove it to herself will do the trick. It was worth a shot because she needed Kassandra to understand, _really_ understand that she meant what she said. "Be the person I deserve."

"Hmm?"

Fighting off the wave of exhaustion and sleep that was bound to catch up to her, she offers Kassandra a final statement. "You tell me you don't deserve me, but that you love me. I'm telling you to become worthy of it. If that is what it takes, do better. I have made my choice in you and if you love me, prove to me that I made the right decision."

Having said her piece, she falls into the deepest and most peaceful sleep she's had in weeks.

_(Previous day, late afternoon)_

A strong jostling of the ship awakens her from her slumber. She had been in a deep sleep so she was still a tad disoriented. "What's happening?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say we've hit a storm."

A storm? She doesn't remember having been caught up in a storm before. As unsure as she had been about everything else, she would have remembered the heavy rocking of the ship on choppy seas. Oh! This must mean she passed whatever "test" she had to do as she relived the last time she woke up. A massive sigh of relief was exactly what it was, but the circumstances she now found herself in was less than ideal. A storm now was quite unfortunate considering the poor shape the ship is in to begin with. Finally getting the last bits of sleep wiped away, her eyes focus to Kassandra where she sees something terribly wrong. "You're bleeding!"

"I've had worse. This is nothing."

How did this even happen? Last she knew, she was sleeping on Kassandra's lap and now Kassandra was across the cell with a busted nose. She had more questions than answers at this point.

A strong wave smashes into the side of the ship, sending them both tumbling the opposite direction. Kassandra is able to brace herself, but she wasn't as lucky as she tumbles backwards until her back slams hard into the bars.

"Kyra! Are you alright?"

It knocked the wind out of her and it sent a stark and harrowing reminder of how banged up she truly was. All she could do was groan at first until her breathing got back to normal. This experience reminded her most of all just why she prefers to stay on land. "I. Hate. Ships." 

"Poseidon doesn't seem to be in a merciful mood, that's for sure. From the sounds of it, I don't think the men above deck are having any better luck."

Good riddance. None of those malakas deserved to live after what they'd done to the both of them. This whole ordeal was cruel and unusual so the fact that they were getting beaten down by the storm was justice. She wanted them all to pay for what they did to her, especially _that_ man. The dog. She wanted him to suffer most of all. She wanted to kill the bastard slowly until he understood just how she felt, wishing to die at every given moment. How helpless she felt being at his mercy when he never showed any. He needed to die and she prayed he did.

A snapping sound in the distance caused Kyra to snap back into the present. Her murder fantasy of this man would have to wait because the sheer panic on Kassandra's face was enough to tell her something was amiss.

"Kyra, we need to get out of here. Now." Kassandra's tone very urgent.

"Why? What's wrong?!" She's not seen Kassandra so alarmed in a long time and it only means something very bad is about to happen.

"The ship! The ship is going to split!"

_Oh no._

Kassandra rushes towards the door and shakes it in frustration. "Fuck... we're locked in... Shit, shit, shit, shit." Kyra watches her pace before striking the door with her boot where the lock was. "Fuck!"

This was a bad sign. If they couldn't find a way out of here and soon, they'd both end up drowning. This was not the way she wanted to die, not by a long shot.

Kyra tries to think of an alternative, but Kassandra repeatedly keeps kicking at the lock with her boot. That was never going to work and all she'd gain is a tired leg. She needed to put a stop to this. "That's not working, Kassandra, we need another plan."

"What else can we possibly do, Kyra?!" Kassandra snaps back at her. "Unless you've got a key, I'd say my method is the best thing we've got."

It was clear Kassandra wasn't going to stop until something better came along so it was up to her to figure it out. She needed to focus on what they could do and not panic. They didn't have any weapons nor anything other than themselves to really use as leverage. There was a good chance that (given the condition of the ship) the lock would be of poor quality. They needed to keep a constant tension on the lock to get it to break, but how? 

Then, an idea strikes. "I have an idea! There's not enough pressure on the lock to make a difference as your kicks are strong, but it only stretches the lock a tiny amount. We need to apply more pressure."

"With what?! I don't see a weapon on either of us."

" _We_ are the weapon." 

It made so much sense! How did she not think of this before? 

"We are?"

"Yes! It will be a bit tricky, but I think it is the only way we can make this work." 

This has to work, they've got no other option. They have to use their own bodies to force the lock, but it won't be easy. They'll have to be in sync with one another and move as one, but after that, it is easy.

"Fine, tell me more."

"You and I will lock arms and use each other as a counterweight to walk up the bars. Once we reach the lock, we both extend our legs and push as hard as we can."

"Say this works and we manage to get it going, it will only take one wave to send us flying. We won't have enough time."

Kassandra wasn't wrong with her concerns, but they couldn't let that stop them. This was a matter of timing. "That's why were going to set up while we're being struck. I've been counting the seconds between the swells and we've got around twelve before we seem to get hit again. All we'd need is two large steps to get us in place on the bars and then we'd have ten seconds to push before we have to stop."

"You're crazy. Brilliant too, but mostly just crazy."

Kyra's smile shines bright at Kassandra's words, it means she at least sees the bigger picture. It would not be perfect the first several tries, but she had faith that they could see this through.

"We should swap places as my legs are stronger so we'd want that momentum towards the door instead of away from it in case I overpower you."

Normally Kyra would protest more, but she knew Kassandra was right. Her legs were not the strongest right now so it wouldn't make sense for her to be the one straining. Still though, she couldn't help but tease just a little. "Are you calling me weak?"

"No, not exactly. I'm calling myself stronger, big difference."

She can tell Kassandra is a bit flustered and it's amusing as always to watch. Never will she get tired of making the mighty Kassandra stumble over her golden tongue. "First it is crazy and now it is weak. You sure know how to talk to a woman."

"Apparently I do because I have you now, don't I?"

Well played, Kassandra. Well played. She couldn't counter with anything verbally so she resorts to something more childlike and scowls.

"Sorry." Kassandra offers her an apology, but one wasn't needed. She had started a battle of words that she lost and she would graciously accept that minor defeat. "Now, when should we do this?"

Right. Their escape. Kyra found she had forgotten about their predicament for a short moment when they were bantering. All the more reason for them both to be free and go home so they could do that to their hearts content.

"We will need to do a couple runs before we have any luck as the bars are thin so we'll probably fall a few times. I'll say go when we need to meet in the middle and we'll just try to practice getting our footing. Sound good?"

"No. Not particularly."

"Good. Now we go on the count of three." 

Here goes everything...

"One."

Please work.

"Two."

Please, please work.

"Three!"

Show time!

She and Kassandra race to link arms as they try to find the right balance of weight between them. As expected, they fail miserably as Kassandra pushed too hard at first, causing her to slip. They crash down with a thud ending up with Kyra landing on top of Kassandra.

Kyra is (for Kassandra's sake) quick to move off her, allowing the poor woman to adjust herself.

"I think I bruised my tailbone." Kassandra complains as she rolls away from Kyra onto her side.

"Get up you big baby. We don't have the luxury of complaining." 

"That's easy for you to say... I was your personal pillow! I think your elbow hit a rib."

It was cute to see how much Kassandra was hamming this up, but now was not the time for coddling. "All the more incentive for you to get it right with me this time, wouldn't you say?"

Unfortunately for the both of them, the "right" time wasn't any time soon. Failure after failure wracked up, but with each new attempt, they got better. They didn't make the same mistake twice and they almost had it.

Kassandra (sounding a bit winded) looks to her as they wait for the timing to be perfect. "Kyra, we have to get this right. This will not be the end of our story, I promise you."

For all of Kassandra's promises, Kyra found it hard to believe. Her track record was not that impressive with keeping her word. What she did believe, though, was Kassandra's belief in herself. 

On Kassandra's mark, they give it another go and, to their surprise, it seems to be working. Each step they took was in perfect harmony and their footing had remained stable. Once again with Kassandra's call, she pushes with all her might. Her legs extending further than they ever have so far, indicating they're making progress!

"Spread your stance, quick, else we'll fall and brace yourself!" Kassandra warns and Kyra does as she's told. Not a moment too soon either as they hold steady as the ship rocks against the tide.

This was it, Kyra could feel it. They were so close to their freedom that she could taste it. "I think we just need one more good push and we'll have this open. Let's do this! Now!"

Kyra's body screams out in pain, but she just grits her teeth together and pushes past it. How her body hadn't just given out after the first try was a miracle. She credits the adrenaline coursing through her with the imminent danger that looms all around them. Complacency here will mean certain death and she's not ready for that. The Kyra she is now is vastly different than the Kyra she was this morning. She no longer wants to accept death and she will no longer remain silent as their world crumbles. Now that she has a reason to live, that hope that she can see another sunrise, she cannot give up. She needs to push harder! She needs to be stronger! She needs to do it now!

With a last oomph, Kyra pushes with all her might and is rewarded with the snapping sound of metal as the lock collapses to the floor. The elation is short lived because without the door as a resistance, there's nothing holding them up. She and Kassandra drop like a stone off a cliff onto their backsides, the momentum causing their heads to smack together on the impact.

Her arms break free of their hold and she immediately rolls onto her back in immense pain. She was already battered before this and this hadn't done her any favors. The back of her skull was throbbing from the impact and she could hear a faint ringing. She had tried to open her eyes, but shut them soon after as her vision was spotty and everything was moving. 

Kyra could hear Kassandra's grunts and, although she couldn't make out what she was saying, she was still alive and that was what mattered. Even if she wasn't making any noise, she's not sure she could get herself to stand up right now without getting sick and falling back down. She just needs a minute...

Unfortunately, she didn't have one.

The icy chill from the sea water became very apparent as she lay on the floor. The sharp contrast in the temperature made her tense her muscles and sent a chill throughout her body. Kassandra had been right after all, they were going to be sinking and it was happening now.

"Are you good to move?" Kyra hears Kassandra ask somewhere nearby.

The truth was no. No she was not good to move, but this water wasn't going to stop coming in just because she wasn't ready. She had to be alright whether she actually was or not. "I think so?" 

"The ship is flooding and it will only get worse. We need to get above ground before we can make our next move."

Riiiiight... moving.

Kyra feels her stomach lurch as she rolls onto her belly, taking it just slow enough that she doesn't dry heave. Her head was still ringing, but her vision wasn't as spotty anymore. Taking this as a sign of progress, she uses the bar nearest to her to help her stand all the way. She felt like a newborn animal learning how to walk. She was a sad sight, that's for sure. A quick glance to Kassandra proves that maybe she's not as bad off as she thought.

Kassandra's right arm was dangling awfully low and Kassandra held it close to her body. 

"Your arm... Can you move it?"

"No. It hurts too much." Kassandra winces as she tries to move it.

"Well don't try to move it you fool!" 

It definitely was dislocated, maybe even broken. She wasn't too sure, but it needed to be fixed before the damage caused was irreparable.

"We don't have the time to fix it now so I will have to just deal with the pain and fight though it."

"Fight through it? Kassandra, your shoulder isn't even in place! You could probably not even open a door yet alone use it in any sort of combat. We need to set it."

Kassandra looks as if she was going to argue, but once she sees how serious she is, she thinks better of it.

"Fine."

Kassandra wastes no time in popping her shoulder back into place. The sound it made when it reconnected was as uncomfortable as one could imagine. It sent a shiver up her neck and shoulders, making her wince. Now was not the time to be squeamish though as the worst was still ahead. What Kassandra really needed was a way to keep her arm from moving to prevent further damage.

Looking down, Kyra spots a tear at the bottom of her ensemble, giving her an idea. She would make a sling for Kassandra, as good as it could be anyway given the circumstances. It wasn't clean by any means, but it would hold it steady. 

Taking the now freed cloth, Kyra swirls it around in the sea water to remove any lingering dirt before she moves closer to Kassandra. "Let me help you."

Kassandra doesn't speak, but Kyra can see the small nod for her to continue. She takes great care not to be too rough, the exact opposite mindset of the last time they touched. Nothing rough, only tenderness. Seeing Kassandra like this reminds her of the time she almost lost her back on Delos. The image of a broken Kassandra haunts her still. 

She didn't have much to work with then and she has even less now, but it will have to do. It seems whenever Kassandra needs her, she's always woefully unprepared. "I'm sorry that this isn't much, but I don't have the proper materials."

Kassandra cradles her face with her left arm, gently moving her thumb across her cheek. "Thank you love, I could not have done a better job."

Kyra swears her world stops when Kassandra utters that word to her. Never before had she used such a tender affection with her. Her heart feels so full at such a simple expression.

Her love... 

Now was not the time to be flustered by affectionate terms. She needed to focus. Now that the cell door was taken care of, the next logical step would be the hatch, but how could they get it open? The same trick that got the lock would not work here so they'd need to do something else. They could cause a lot of commotion in hopes that someone gets curious enough to open it, maybe that would work?

It appeared that Kassandra was a bit lost in thought too as Kyra waits for her to refocus. "Kassandra? Are you with me?"

Kassandra doesn't acknowledge her at first, but her demeanor changes in an instant. "We need to figure out the hatch. It is locked from the other side and we don't have the leverage on our side this time."

"That's what I was thinking about. I don't think we can get it, but perhaps we can be loud enough that we can get someone's attention. What do you think?"

"You seem to be right lately so I trust whatever you think we should do."

"It isn't ideal by any means, but we'll be hard to ignore."

She may not have the strength she normally would, but she could toss some stuff around to make quite the ruckus.

"If you want to start with that, I'm going to have a look and see what I can find for a weapon. I'd rather us not go up there empty handed if possible."

Not wanting Kassandra to leave just yet, she moves closer to her and cups her face. She keeps just enough space between them to not touch her injured arm as she leans in for a kiss. It didn't last for long as Kyra knew time wasn't on their side, but she needed Kassandra to know how much she needs her. She wouldn't be able to do this without her.

Leaning forward so their foreheads rested upon one another, Kyra whispers her soft plea. "Please be careful, Kassandra. You're not indestructible and I need you in one piece." 

Kassandra takes a wordless step back, giving her a look she can't quite place, before she turns to venture further into the belly of the ship.

Kyra decided to take the direct approach to start making noise and pounds her fist against the hatch, screaming every profanity she could imagine. She wasn't sure how long Kassandra would be gone or what she'd do if anyone did open it before she got back, but she would figure it out when it happened. She had a mean right hook and wasn't afraid to use it.

The time dragged on and still Kassandra had not returned. She was getting worried that something happened to her, or worse, that she got caught. 

"No Kyra, don't think like that." She mutters to herself as she kicks the crates that surround them. "Kassandra is fine and will be back any second."

The water was steadily rising, up to her shins at this point, and it had to have been at least a half hour (if not more) that Kassandra's been gone. It was hard to keep track of much of anything with how loud the storm got. Judging by the steady increase of the water, she'd guess that there was more than one hole by now which made the sound of the wind that much stronger. Not to mention that the thunder was steadily encroaching on them. This storm was sounding worse and worse by the second.

Kyra had kept up this rather futile effort with the mindset that maybe Kassandra had gotten lost. It was a large ship after all and it was pitch black unless you stood near the few windows. Her voice was feeling hoarse, having not had water in days. It was a shame the sea water couldn't help.

"Kyra! Kyra! Is that you?"

"Kassandra?" Kyra shouts back, unsure of what she just heard. "Where are you? I can't see a damn thing!"

"Just keep yelling and I'll make my way to you."

Oh thank the gods she's alright! The relief was instant as that was one worry she could mark off the list.

She still needed to help her get back so it was time to pull out all the stops. "That I can do because these PIECE OF DOG SHITS CAN ALL CHOKE ON THEIR OWN TONGUES WHEN I RIP THEM FROM THEIR THROATS AND FEED IT TO THEM!"

Kassandra walks past her, going back into their cell. "Kyra, come back to the cell, I have something that will help us. Don't waste your efforts anymore."

Kyra follows and watches as Kassandra slinks down into the water. She must be exhausted to willingly sit and submerge herself like she did.

"I found a hammer and chisel that we can use to chip off the lock." Kassandra offers her up the tools.

She accepts the items, but something else was wrong. There was something Kassandra wasn't telling her. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm fine, I'm just tired."

Liar.

"You're not fine. Fine is not sitting in cold water up to your hips when we could be getting out of here. Fine is not what you are and I don't know why you're pretending otherwise. Talk to me."

Why is she being so stubborn? This was not the time for the bravado nor would it do either of them any good.

"I promise I will be fine, I just needed to rest for a moment. I may have overdone it when I accidentally started a fire while I was looking and I had to frantically splash water to keep it from spreading and then I hit just about every single crate one this god damn ship with my legs. My arm is killing me and me smacking it all about was not helping it. So no, you're right, I'm not fine, but I need to be so I will be."

It wasn't a good answer, but it was an honest one and that's all she's ever asked for. 

She can see that Kassandra looks exhausted, having been through a lot in such a short span of time. Crouching down, Kyra tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I will get us out of here, you just stay here and get your bearings. If you need me, just say so and I'll rush back."

Kyra needed to do the work for the both of them, like Kassandra had done for her before. She was going to get them out of here and now she had the tools to do it. Using them, she created an enormous hole and had it almost falling off its hinges.

Pleased with her success, she returns to tell Kassandra the good news. "Kassandra, I got it all but broken off. We can make a move whenever you are ready."

The anticipation was palpable. In just a few moments they'd be side by side, fighting for their lives. There was no room for error and no second chances. Whatever was about to happen to them was final.

"Help me up, please?" Kassandra asks and Kyra moves to help her.

"What is the plan now? We'll get to the top and then what?"

She needs to know what she needs to do. They both have to be in agreement or it will be easy for them to be overtaken.

"We wait."

"We wait?"

"Think about it. They would spot the opening and send someone down to investigate. We wait for them to come to us and we pick them off. The less we have to deal with, the better. They'll most likely only send one person to start with so if you pull their attention, I can take them out."

Waiting didn't sound like the best idea, but Kassandra tended to know what she was talking about in terms of battle tactics. She'd trust in her judgment and follow her lead, but not without finding out why she wasn't the one on the offensive.

"Are you sure I shouldn't be the one to attack?"

"I'm sure because this won't be the only person so we can rotate. I need to do this."

This was a bad time to need to prove something, but she wouldn't argue (for now at least.)

"I'll break the hatch and go back in the cell. You should stand behind here and wait." Kyra points to a high stack of crates. "Which would you prefer? The mallet or the chisel?"

"Mallet." Kassandra answers.

Their moment of truth was upon them and there was no turning back now. This could very well be their final stand. "I love you, Kassandra. May the gods be on our sides for the journey ahead."

Kassandra doesn't say anything back to her, but Kyra doesn't dwell on it. Holding her chisel, she works loose the last piece holding up the hatch. 

It drops directly into the water below, giving her a small window to retreat back to their cell. She wondered how long it would take for anyone to notice, it's not like it was just a small opening.

The good news came fast in the sound of boots landing heavily in the water. They had company and it was time to do her part.

Waiting until he drew near enough, Kyra screamed, distracting the cultist enough for Kassandra to strike. Her movements were incredibly nimble for someone in her condition. Kyra could see much better than before and she watched as Kassandra tossed the mallet and held the man by his throat. The "thud" against the hull followed by strained gasping had her worried. Kassandra should have, in no way, attacked him like that, but after a few seconds of listening, she was more than sure they were male. There would be no love lost in his death, she would not mourn for a man so intent on watching Greece burn.

Once the sound subsided, Kyra ventured towards Kassandra where she saw the dead body floating face down in the water with the mallet floating nearby.

"What was that about? What were you thinking? You just threw the mallet and took him out with your bare hand. Why did you think that was a good idea??"

It was utterly foolish and reckless. She could've gotten hurt!

"I handled it. He died and that was the goal anyway."

"The goal was for us to make this out alive and it will be hard to do that when you're doing stupid stuff like this. Can you just please be careful and think?"

"I knew what I was doing Kyra, this wasn't my first fight."

The hostility Kyra was feeling was rising like the waters around them. Kassandra had become very snappy with her because she called out her erratic behavior.

"Maybe not, but you're barely put together and I'd like you to stay at least mildly assembled. I didn't bring you back into my heart to have you disassembled before my eyes."

"What would you have me do then?"

"Taking this man's dagger is a good start." Kyra grabs the weapon and hands it over to her.

"This isn't my spear, but it will do in a pinch."

Kyra feels much better knowing Kassandra is better armed. She would never say anything to her, but she was worried about her. Kassandra was still trying so hard to be the protector that she was afraid it would get her killed. Always rushing off into the fray, but this time, well, this time Kyra's not sure if she could do it. Her injuries were mounting up and for as much time as she didn't sleep, she knows Kassandra didn't either. 

She needs to be more aggressive about taking charge here and not just following Kassandra's lead. "I believe you said we were rotating so you should get into place."

She doesn't get an answer before the sound of another part of the ship breaking echoes through the hull, jumping them both.

"Change of plans, we need to get up on deck now before we don't have a choice." Kassandra comments and Kyra had to agree. 

Waiting would only get them killed, but she was nervous. "There's going to be too many of them, so do you think we can do it?"

Kassandra looks at her with such a sadness before plastering on a fake smile. "I think with you behind me, that I can take on anything. I will go up first and make sure it is clear and I'll motion you when it is safe to come up." 

"Whoa, whoa... why are you the one going up? You're in no condition to fend off multiple attackers so if anyone is going up, it's me."

This is what she was afraid of. Kassandra running off to play hero while she got left behind.

"I can do it Kyra, I just want you safe."

Unbelievable! Can she not see that she shares the same sentiments? She would do anything to keep Kassandra safe, even if she didn't have the powers Kassandra did. 

"And you don't think I want that for you? I want to protect you too and I am tired of your macho bravado that you can't seem to shake. I'm not frail and I can take care of myself so just shut up and let me take care of it." Taking charge, Kyra doesn't wait for Kassandra to respond before she heads up above deck.

The intensity of the wind pelts the rain harshly against her skin. It stings, but she can handle it. She tries to scout around but the visibility is incredibly poor. She has to use a hand to shield her eyes and is practically walking blind.

Kyra smacks right into something, but it gave way too easily to be an object. Turns out that "something" was a "someone" and there was two of them.

"Oh great..." Kyra mutters before she swings her chisel, stabbing one of them in the shoulder. 

This was not off to a good start and she was at a disadvantage with the wind being in her face while it was at their backs. This was going downhill, fast.

Pulling out the chisel, she sinks back into a defensive stance, expecting a two on one, until a blur rushes past her. It was Kassandra and she slammed herself into the second guy, allowing Kyra to finish off the injured cultist in front of her.

For all the chastising she'd done about Kassandra, it seemed she was doing the exact same thing. How quickly this could've turned sour if not for Kassandra having her back. 

She flashes an apologetic look to Kassandra before she spots seven men running right for them. Standing back to back, the two women fall into a balance they've grown to know as second nature. Even with their injuries and their fatigue, they were a force to be reckoned with. However, it proved to be too much. There were too many of them and they were only going to be trapped if they stayed put. 

Kyra knew they had to do something or they would both die, but Kassandra broke away from her and ran into the fray.

"Come get me!" Kassandra shouts as she runs to the edge of the deck.

"Kassandra! No!" Kyra shouts in vain, her words being shut out by the loud howl of the wind. 

Whatever Kassandra had planned, it worked because most of the men left to chase her. That left Kyra with the leftovers and she fought like her life depended on it... because it did.

Kyra tries to find Kassandra in all the chaos, but she can't see her. Having to constantly dodge and move had discombobulated her greatly and she wasn't sure where she was anymore. All she knew was that Kassandra needed her and she needed to get to her. To fight for her.

Kyra hacks her way through the cultists to where she thought she last saw Kassandra, but she never expected to see what she did when she got there. Her back taking the brunt of the rain, she could see a harrowing sight unfold before her. Kassandra's spear caught her eye first, but it wasn't her that was holding it. There was a hooded man standing towards the front of her that had that pleasure and Kyra watched in horror as he plunged it deep within Kassandra's stomach.

"NOOOO!" Kyra wails in dread and desperation. She was too late... the damage was done.

Her shriek alerted the men surrounding this hooded figure and they rushed towards her, disarming her easily. She couldn't do anything. Her body was frozen in shock. Kassandra was going to die and there was nothing she could do to save her. 

"No... NO!" Kyra finally snaps out of it and thrashes her body as violently as she could. She had to get to Kassandra. She had to try.

She clawed at whatever surface she could find to get herself some leverage, but their grip only tightened. She was vastly outnumbered and she didn't have the strength Kassandra did, she couldn't take them all down alone. Kyra could only watch as the man kicks Kassandra square in the chest, sending her careening off the side of the ship. Time stood still as she watched the love of her life be sent into the unforgiving waters below. 

Kassandra was dead.

Kyra's body went slack, all the fight in her having died when Kassandra did. Her body felt numb by the shock and just breathing was getting to be a chore. Her chest felt like it was seizing up by the pain she could feel within her. This hurt worse than any wound she's ever encountered. This was an ache that would never get to be healed because Kassandra was forever gone from her life. All she remembers is the emptiness she felt within her before her world fades to black.

_(Current time)_

Kyra didn't want to move, she didn't even want to be alive anymore. She was going to let the powers that be do whatever they wanted to her and she wasn't going to fight it. She doesn't remember anything else of that night, after... after watching Kassandra die. Kyra could feel the tears and she didn't bother to hide it. What did it even matter anymore? Nothing they could do to her now was worse than the fate she was currently living. 

She didn't know where she was, how she had gotten here, or how long she'd been here, but she found herself locked up once more. Her wrist were tied behind her and she was slumped against something hard. The only thing she did know was that she was on land and was in a tent. She has no recollection of how she got off the ship nor how she ended up back on land. The cult must still have her, but for what purpose? She had nothing they needed. Her blood was not special, she had no powers to speak of. They should have just left her to drown.

Kyra can hear a commotion ensuing outside, but she couldn't care less what was happening. Nothing in life mattered anymore and she was too tired to care. Her body was finally giving out on her for all the punishment she made it endure and she couldn't move even if she wished to. Everything felt so heavy, her head, her body, her breathing. It all was just too much to deal with.

Kyra could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness, but a rustling behind her forces her to try to stay awake. For as much as she wanted to not care, the primal instinct to live was not something she could just turn off. 

Kyra felt a breeze against her back, a telltale sign that she was no longer alone. She couldn't turn her head around to see who it was, but she could feel a presence. She was over these mind games so she just prayed to the gods that they just finished the job.

Only when the person crouched in front of her, it was not a cultist at all. It was a woman. She looked nothing like the cultists and Kyra couldn't explain it, but she felt safer with this woman's presence.

She couldn't keep her eyes open and she knew the woman was trying to talk to her, but she couldn't stay focused enough to respond.

"Who?" Kyra tries to ask who the woman is, but her words failed her. 

The woman seemed to understand her request, but most of what she said was lost as Kyra passed out.

"My na- -s Eliana a-d I- here to res- you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This all said. What would you all like to see addressed in the sequel? What kinds of adventures would you like to see?


	37. I Want It All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The FINAL chapter. It is bittersweet to be at this point already, but the time has come for this particular page in their story. It is not a goodbye (as it will take more than that to get rid of me), but a see you soon. I have a few other story ideas that I'd like to tackle that I think you all will love and I look forward to bringing this story back in the form of a sequel. I hope you love the final installment in this angsty, _angsty_ story and I look forward to your final reactions.
> 
> Karmin - I Want It All  
> https://youtu.be/P3SbIJI8sqk

The true danger of drowning was Kassandra's first coherent thought as she awakens back in her body. Pain aside, she knew she had to resurface or everything she just fought for would be for nigh. With how dimly lit the water was, Kassandra wasn't sure which way was up, but she knew how to tell. Exhaling some of her breath, Kassandra watched the direction the bubbles traveled and she followed suit. Kicking her feet with all her might, she uses that momentum and her only useable arm to propel herself upwards.

Her lungs were burning from the lack of air and it reminded her of when she was training. Kassandra used to go and hold a heavy rock underwater repeatedly for hours as she worked to hone her breathing capabilities. Her conditions were always optimal and she always had an escape if she foolishly pushed herself past her limits, but this time she did not get to take a full breath before she went under and her conditions were subpar at best. The currents thrashed her around under the water as it formed wave after wave. The fastest way up was to be sucked into a wave so she needed to swim with the flow instead of against it.

Feeling the current shift, Kassandra paddles hard in the same direction and she gets dragged up rapidly towards the surface before the wave breaks, sending her crashing back down. It was enough for her to take a fresh breath before she got tossed back under again, but it wouldn't keep working forever. She needed to find land and she needed to find it now. To get a good look, she'd need to keep at the surface which was more dangerous, but it was the only way she could see.

Fighting her way up, Kassandra breaks the surface and fights against the large ripples in the water. She only had the light of the moon to guide her, but when the lightning struck, it would illuminate the sky above her, giving her the opportunity to search for something. The first strike she sees doesn't show her anything, just an endless sea, so she works to turn herself around and struggles to remain above water for the next. It felt like an eternity before it struck again, but when it did, she saw what she had needed.

_Land._

She didn't look to be too far from it, thankfully, but there was still the choppy waters to contend with. She knew she was still bleeding and would need to take care of it soon or she risked passing out from the blood loss alone. Her body could not heal under these conditions so she needed to get somewhere sturdy if she wanted to get back to Kyra.

Kassandra swam with all her might, fighting off the darkness that was threatening to overtake her. If she passed out now, she would drown, no doubt about it. She highly doubts she would be afforded another redo so she had to keep hear mind focused and alert until she was safe. It was easier said than done, but she had no other choice. It was painstaking, but the land mass before her continued to get larger and larger until Kassandra had a view of the shoreline. She was _so_ close, it was only a little further!

Her second wind kicking in, she powers through until her hand touches the rocky surface and her feet feel the rock beneath her. Dragging herself up, Kassandra is able to crawl her way up out of the water. She uses the edges around her to get her footing so she could stand, limping herself far away from the sea.

Kassandra pauses near a tree to catch her breath, hanging onto its trunk as she leans over to dry heave. She had nothing to throw up and the constriction of her gut made her new wound burn. She needed to find cover and was in luck. There looked to be a cave not more than thirty paces away and it would protect her from animals and the weather alike.

Hobbling along, Kassandra follows the easiest path up, only having to pull herself up once for the final hurdle. The cave was dark and there was still a chance that it was filled with animals seeking shelter and she had no way to see to confirm or deny it. She would have to tap into her abilities to scan, but it would come at a price. She was in no shape to exert such energy, but she had to try.

Gritting her teeth, Kassandra tries to pulse out, but fails. She drops to one knee as her energy drains, but she has to know. Taking as deep of a breath she could without wincing, Kassandra gives it another try. Focusing her mind on the cave, her aura travels through it and works as it should. It confirms for her that she is indeed alone and can rest here. Feeling safer than she has in ages, Kassandra walks deeper into the cave before her legs give out. She couldn't fight anymore, not now. She had made it to land by the grace of the gods and now she needed to rest or her body would implode on her. 

Broken and bleeding, Kassandra succumbs to her exhaustion...

Kassandra comes to a few times, but it never is for long before she drifts back into unconsciousness. She has no idea how much time had passed other than the level of darkness in the cave. It was pitch black when she was out the first time, but the next time her eyes opened she could tell it was brighter, like it was day time. She never was able to get up to confirm it, she just couldn't get her body to move. She never got to dwell on it for long before she would blackout again. If she had to hazard a guess, she'd say it has almost been two days as she's seen the heavy darkness twice. 

Two days didn't seem like a long time, but every minute she didn't know where Kyra was a wasted one. She needed to get up and look for her, she had to.

Kassandra didn't feel much better than she had before, but she knew she had some of her strength back and that was what's important. She still needed help to stand up, having not moved in two days, but she could feel less of an ache in her legs after she took a few steps towards the entrance. The storm had subsided and there was a fog that lingered, but she was able to get a much better look at where she was. Nothing about her surroundings stood out and it looked like just about every other island in Greece. She would need to get to higher ground to try to figure out where she was and she needed to find fresh water desperately.

Closing her eyes and breathing in the fresh air, Kassandra hears the sound of running water to her left, a waterfall from the intensity of it. Abandoning her cave, Kassandra wanders towards the water and is overjoyed at the sight. She doesn't even mind the coldness of it as she walks directly under the cascading water and takes several large sips. She had been so parched, the icy cold water was (for once) a very welcomed relief. She doesn't bother to clean herself off as that was a luxury she didn't have time for. Where there was fresh water, there was bound to be someone living not too far from it. She had lucked out washing up where she did and she would follow this stream inward until she found someone she could talk to. Kassandra crosses the stream and beings the uphill trek to find civilization.

She follows the stream higher and higher until she hits a dead end. The water came from inside the cliffside somewhere and all she still couldn't see any signs of life. She would need to get higher and there didn't seem to be any gradual hill she could walk up. If she wanted to go higher, she'd have to climb. It was risky given that she only had one working arm, but she would just take it nice and slow. 

She took longer than she'd have liked to, but she manages... only to find out there was yet _another_ obstacle she needed to climb. 

"You've got to be joking." Kassandra huffs out as she catches her breath. This one was much more sheer than the one she just climbed, but she had no other option. "Fuck you and your cliffs." Kassandra complains as she works her way up (what she hopes) was the last one.

Dragging her body up, Kassandra immediately spots several buildings, most in ruins, covering a very vast landscape.

"Oh thank god." Kassandra sighs in relief, but her jovial nature was not one she kept long. It became very clear, very quickly that she was not in the presence of friendlies as she caught the look of several masked individuals in a cloak.

She had stumbled upon the cult, but if it was the same as on the ship or a hidden branch, that she was unsure of. Every time she felt she was once again gaining the upper hand, she got a slap in the face. She needed to find out if they were who she was looking forc because if they were, that meant that Kyra had to be here to. Just the thought of being in close proximity to Kyra made her heart pound.

"I'm coming for you, Kyra. Just hang on." Kassandra offers a silent promise to her as she crouches behind a boulder.

The issue was that it had to be mid afternoon and it was still very bright out. She would be spotted easily just walking around, but she couldn't afford to wait until nightfall to make her move. They could pack up and be on the next ship off here at any moment so it was now or never.

A group of cultists were walking up the steps in front of her and she decided they would be cover enough to keep her moving on the path. Once they pass, Kassandra crouches low and follows them for a few steps until she's able to branch off into the tall grass on her left. She followed it until the grass ran out, leaving an exposed dirt area between two buildings. The one on her right looked well guarded so she was grateful the bulk of the cultists went to her left. She backtracked just enough that she could climb up without being seen before she works her way to an opening. 

"How long are we going to just stay here?" She hears one of the men ask. "We have no food left and we're at each others throats."

"We don't have a choice!" Another man chimes in. "You heard the captain."

"Captain or not, I won't just sit around here and starve and get picked off."

Kassandra had heard enough, she knew that these had to be the same men from the ship she and Kyra were on. It made the most sense. That meant that Kyra had to be here too.

Kassandra hears footsteps leading towards the ledge and the distinct sound of someone "relieving themselves" as it hit the rock beneath his feet.

She had no idea how many of the men survived and opportunities like this wouldn't just appear so she needed to be quick. Taking a few brisk strides, Kassandra lines herself up to strike. But the man turns around quicker than she expected and his face lit up in horror when he realized who she was.

"But- but-, you're dead... this can't be!" The man says in astonishment.

"I am far from dead, but you're about to be." Taking a step forward, Kassandra kicks him square in the chest, sending him backwards with a loud "thump."

That had felt good, so unbelievably good. The rush from his death fueled something within her and she felt herself getting stronger.

"Intruder!" A man yells out from behind her. She turns to see the two other men running away towards the more fortified building.

"So much for being careful." Kassandra scolds herself as she let the urge for an unsafe kill override her better judgment.

She followed suit and pursued the both of them until she was met with a group clustered in the dirt area between the two buildings.

"Get the rest of the men up here, I'll hold her off." One of the larger cultists speaks as he steps forward.

Not all of them had masks or even robes for that matter which made sense considering how bad the storm was. This guy just happened to be one missing both, but he did have some decent quality armor on. Kassandra wonders why he didn't sink from the weight, but thinking about it wouldn't help her fight him.

"You should have stayed dead." He threatens as he moves closer to her. "And I'm gonna make you wish you were."

He unsheathes a heavy mallet as the rest of the group runs off to get back up. Kassandra removes her spear and takes up a defensive stance. The two circle one another, sizing each other up. Kassandra knows she's at a disadvantage, but she was not without her tricks. She was going to be viewed as weak and she would use that. 

The man swings wildly and Kassandra is easily able to dodge it. He continued to be sporadic with his swings, having no set rhythm and Kassandra spotted his tell. The man was very overconfident and he swung to hit hard, not to aim. One blow would probably knock her right out, but it left him very exposed when he missed.

On his next swing, Kassandra rushes toward him and slides to her knees. The mallet lands just beyond her head as the momentum of her slide carries her beneath his legs. This was a move her mater had taught her and it was the only real way to keep a man such as this down. She went right for the artery in his thigh and cut a clean slice right through it.

She bounces back up quickly and kicks him in the back of the wounded leg, forcing him down to one knee.

"You know," Kassandra gloats cockily, for a man so big, you sure do fall easy."

"I'll show you who falls easy!" The man shouts at her, but he falters as he stands up, unaware of his injury until right now.

Kassandra watches as he comes to terms with the fact that he was now losing a lot of blood and she could see the fear of death in his eyes.

She loved it. 

"This is a good look for you, shame it is only a one time event. How I would love to take your life over, and over, and over..." Kassandra trails her spear beneath his throat as the man struggles to keep his balance. He had a death grip on his mallet and was too weak to even stand on his own. 

It was a magnificent sight to behold.

Kassandra didn't bother to show him mercy, he didn't need it. He had made his choice when she joined this group and he would pay for that until his dying breath. She would waste no more effort on him as he was dead man in the next few minutes anyway. Instead, she needed to plan ahead for the swarm she was going get within the next couple of minutes.

She couldn't explain it, but she felt even better than she did before so she wasn't worried. It was hard to explain, but with each blow she struck, the stronger she felt. She could feel the adrenaline of the fight coursing through her veins and it halted any pain she felt. If she were naive, she'd say it felt like she was becoming invincible. Kassandra doesn't bother to wait for the rest of the men to find her, she would do the honors and bring herself to them.

Kassandra strides strong and tall down the staircase and she can see the men scurry away from her like little rats as they run lower and lower. Feeling better, Kassandra slices free her right arm from the sling and gives her hand a tentative squeeze. The pain was reduced dramatically and as she rotated her arm, she barely felt any pain.

"This is new." Kassandra mutters to herself as she's never seen herself heal like this before. Something like a dislocation would take a week or two, but never just a couple days. She wouldn't balk at it as it gave her back the advantage. It was no longer a disadvantaged fight, she had just leveled the playing field.

Picking up the pace, Kassandra turns her stride into a run and wears a devilish grin while she does it. As soon as she caught up to anyone, she wasted no time in ramming her spear through their backs of their necks. She picked up a second sword from one of cultists she dropped and began to dual wield.

The men stupid enough to face her, regretted it as she cut them to shreds within a blink. Kassandra felt the power surging within her, a new sensation. She felt like she could explode if she didn't release this pent up energy. As much as this new feeling should scare her, it did just the opposite. It made her feel _so_ alive. The world was just moving at a slower pace and she was this unstoppable force. Her ailments long forgotten, she picks up speed and launches herself down the stairs, creating a small crater where she lands. 

The ripple effect of her landing knocked several cultists over and she wasted no time in cutting their throats. As the blood splattered across her face, her vision turned to a golden hue. All the colors were morphing into only one shade, gold, as she felt the pressure inside her intensify. Something was happening with her body, something more powerful than anything she's ever felt before.

Kassandra makes it to the bottom level, by the main entrance, and she can easily see fifteen men with their weapons drawn. She can smell their fear, their panic as she stalks closer. 

"I am going to kill all of you and make you beg for your life." Kassandra threatens the lot of them.

"There's more of us than there is of you." A man speaks up defiantly. "You don't stand a chance!"

"Well, now," Kassandra's smile gleams with a devilish flair, "we'll just have to see about that."

Kassandra felt the urge to _scream_. Not out of fear, but out of a deep rage. Masked faces, unmasked faces, it didn't matter. They all just _infuriated_ her. Standing in front of her like they had a chance, it was pathetic.

She would suppress this urge no longer. She was going to unleash this power she felt inside herself and lay these ruins to the ground.

Kassandra's face contorts in anger as she let's out the most vicious sounding scream she's ever heard. Her whole world turns golden and she feels amazing! She rushes into the fold and holds nothing back. She hit her mark every. single. time. and they didn't leave a scratch on her. It was completely impossible before now and, if she wasn't seeing it firsthand, she'd never believe it. She felt the blades touch her, but her skin was impenetrable. It didn't matter what they did to her, she couldn't feel it.

Her heart hammered deep within her chest as she frenzied her way through each and every last one of them. She was moving faster than ever before and with such a lethality, she was like a god. 

She was completely immortal.

Her body moved on its own accord and her mind was a blank slate. All she focused on was killing and that's exactly what she did.

Once the last body slumps to the ground before her, almost lifeless, Kassandra drops to her knees in exhaustion. Her vision fades back to its normal colors and her arm has become useless once again, throbbing in pain at amy moment. Never in her life had she exuded such power and certainly never for that length of time. She was used to the bursts in battle, but this was different... this was raw. She had done things she's never done before, things she didn't even know she was capable of. An immense rush of powers coursed through her, bending to her will. How long had she had this untapped potential? 

Kassandra has no answers to that, but that's not what she cares about right now. Her mission was to find Kyra at any cost and she had only one person who could even give her a remote idea of where she was now. She got so caught up in her furied vengeance that she almost lost track of just why she was here in the first place.

Calliope's warning loomed in her mind, knowing that she had probably crossed a line (make that several lines). She just couldn't help herself. Once she saw their faces, a pure, unadulterated rage took ahold of her body and she just moved like it was the most natural state of being. Her spear has never moved so gracefully and her body moved as though it wasn't battered and broken. For however long that onslaught took, she was at full force and craved the blood shed. How was she just supposed to walk away after everything they've done? To let them live another second after the chaos they've created? Kassandra didn't view it as vengeance so much as a public service slaughtering.

The cult had done more damage than she could ever hope to fix, but this was a good start. The trireme they were aboard held a hundred men, if not more, and about a third of them made it to land. Those of them who didn't drown will surely die of the elements soon enough. 

There were two men unaccounted for, her brother and the man who kicked her off the ship. She would have known their faces, but not a single man she faced bared any resemblance. Alexios had been absent for most of the journey so the odds were good that he left the ship before the incident. That other man though, she knows he was there. She doesn't believe for a moment that he died at sea, it would be too easy and nothing in her life was ever so simple. No, he must have gone somewhere else, but the question remains as to where.

Kassandra didn't even know where she was, yet alone what was surrounding them. She couldn't place the scenery and with the clouds as overcast as they were, she couldn't make heads nor tails of any surrounding landmarks. What she needed to do was hope that this heavily punctured remnant of a man had the information she needed. It would make sense that the crew would know where they were heading, but even in death, not all secrets would be spilled. Still, she did always find a way to make them talk.

"Hey, you." Kassandra chided as she pokes the badly beaten man in front of her. "Where is Kyra? Where are we?"

"Ngghh-" The man burbles out a bloody breath as he tries to gasp for what little air he can manage.

"I asked you two questions, answer them and I'll make your death swift, which is a mercy you don't truly deserve if I'm being honest." Kassandra hovers over the man who seems to be in a world of his own, his eyes glossed almost a milky shade of white.

Kassandra waits with anticipation as his mouth opens, but only a sick gurgle escapes before he begins to choke on his own blood. She had gone too far and he would be no use to her. He was beyond any help by this point and too much damage had been done internally for her to try to salvage this. All she does is watch as all the fight leaves his body, knowing the moment the man dies by sight alone. Kassandra had rarely stayed around to watch her kills die, but this was different. She's not sure what she was expecting to feel, but this wasn't it.

Her kills usually meant nothing to her as it was only business, but this man before her was different. The cultists were _always_ different. She felt almost joyful in his demise if she overlooked her disappointment of not getting any answers. She had no personal connection to him, but killing him, killing _all_ of them, had given her such a rush. Never before had she had so many cultists in one place, it was like lambs being led to slaughter. Her presence was unsuspected so she had the element of surprise, savoring the look of fright she got with the first cultist she got the drop on. It fed a hunger she carried deep within her, an almost insatiable taste, for their blood. Deny as she might, there was no excusing or avoiding it.

She had allowed herself to lose focus and the beast within her clawed free. She always knew it was there, bearing its teeth, but she denied it. She had suppressed herself, her true uncontrollable nature, until she had no choice but to set it free. There was no length she would not go to protect those she loved and the cultists bore witness to that. An entire regime of them, all crushed to dust between her fingers. For that, she would pay the price as she was no sooner to finding Kyra's whereabouts than before.

Frustrated, Kassandra pushes the now dead body in front of her until it rolls over. "Malaka! Fuck..."

Now what was she going to do?

"Think Kassandra, think." She speaks to herself in the hopes it would provide her all the answer she needs. "If you were going to hold someone hostage here, where would you do it?"

It didn't take Ikaros to know this place was massive and she'd seen enough of it to know it had many hiding places. Crumbled remains of buildings, makeshift tents, all perfectly good spots to stash someone. Was there a chance that she'd missed her in her previous one track mindedness?

No. She'd have just _known_ , she'd have just sensed Kyra. She was far too in tune with her to miss over her like that, this she knows. Kyra couldn't be here so the question still remained. Where was she?

Her bond with Ikaros was weak, her exhaustion all but severing their link. Kassandra still had no idea how long she was unconscious while her body attempted to mend, but it was at least a couple days at minimum. She just had to pray that Kyra was not stowed away on another ship, destined for parts unknown. Kyra was here, she felt it, she just needed to rely on her own instincts to get the job done.

She would have to do this the old fashioned way.

As grateful as she was for her powers, she did not allow them to be a crutch. She trained harder than anyone and she worked harder than anyone to prove to herself and everyone else that she was the woman to beat. She had become the misthios she is today because of her own efforts and she wouldn't forget that now. She was a master tracker and she needed to believe in herself now more than ever before. More than her pride was on the line and she would never gamble on Kyra's life. She would start at the bottom and work her way up to try to find any trace of Kyra.

If it was there, she would find it.

Kassandra tore a thick strip of cloth from one of the bodies and fancied herself a new sling. It wasn't as good as the one Kyra did, but it would do the job. It was now time to scoure one level at a time, turning over every stone in the slim chance that Kyra left something behind for her to follow. All she needed was a shred of her clothing, _something_ to confirm that she was still alive, still here...

The more Kassandra searched, the more frustrated she got. Each empty room was barren or had bed rolls too nice to be given to anyone other than higher ranking members. They would treat Kyra the exact same as they had before so she would have no bed or any comforts. The cultists had sure made a home of this place in their brief stint here. It seems that it had been previously occupied before they showed up so there was a chance that the locals could still be here somewhere.

Level one, nothing. Level two, nothing. Level three, nothing.

Kassandra still had two more levels to go before she had canvassed the ruins. Level four was very small in comparison to the prior three and was just off to her right as she walked up the steps. Ordinarily, she'd keep moving on, but when she said she was searching _everything_ , she meant just that. Kassandra notes two large tents (one on either side) and a common area with three still lit fires. There are several smaller tents which would tell her that the bulk of their forces spent time here. Kassandra also knows that if she were to have kidnapped someone, she'd want as many eyes on them as possible.

Kassandra moves to take position by the first fire and slowly rotates around it to spot something. She's not sure what yet, but she'll know when she sees it. Nothing but small tents catch her eye and there is no chance they'd have put Kyra in one of those. It was open, sure, but it was also too secluded and would be risky since they were only large enough to fit one person. She would have been somewhere out of the main area, but still exposed enough that they could keep tabs on her. There was a larger tent on her left, but the way it was built made it look more like a horse encampment. There were two cross beams of wood that would be perfect to tying the reins to, plus, she could spot the horse droppings to confirm her theory. It seemed quite unlikely they'd put her with the horses so she had to keep looking. Still determined, Kassandra moves to the second fire.

Much like the first, Kassandra takes her position and begins to move around. She notes the third fire and a large enclosed area that looked to be where the majority would have slept. A possibility, but unlikely given the close proximity to the rest of the group. The risk was high of casualties if she escaped while they were all sleeping so it would not have been ideal. She will come back to this if nothing else strikes her. Continuing her movements ever so slowly (to ensure she didn't miss anything), she spots a large tent that catches her eye.

This tent was outside of the main area, the one that was on her right when she entered, and could still be easily seen. The wooden pole towards the middle of the front would be perfect for keeping tabs on a tied up prisoner. It gave very little in the way of elemental protection, but it had just enough to keep someone from freezing to death if the weather soured. Something about this spot felt right and she was going to give it a closer look.

The first thing she spots is a hole cut out in the back of the tent, an escape route perhaps? Kassandra moves in closer to the opening and crouches down before it. She feels along the edges and notes a very smooth cut, meaning that whoever made this took great care of the sharp edge of whatever was used to make this. She's seen the cultists weapons before and she's never pulled off a blade or sword or anything remotely to the caliber needed for such precision. There was a chance that the prior residents of this area had done so, but it would make no sense to cut the fabric when you could so easily walk around to exit. No. No, this was done to make a quick and unseen entrance or exit.

Kassandra moves through the rough cut opening to see where they would have gone next. She stands back up tall and takes in the view around her. Walking towards the rocky ledge, she looks around. The ruins still ran straight ahead of her and completely encompassed the area to her right. Looking left, Kassandra spots the edge of the coast along with more of the rocky cliffs. If she had to make an escape, going ahead or to the right would be out of the question. It would only put them back in harm's way so the only answer would be to go left. Carefully, Kassandra continues to walk the edge of the flat surface until she's run out. From here, Kassandra almost immediately spots a path trudged in the grass.

"A path." Kassandra speaks softly as she follows it with her eyes until her visibility is cut off. It would make sense for someone to take this as a further look to her left appeared to be nothing promising. They would want to put distance between themselves and this area so it had to be the right way. That said, she needed to figure out how they would've gotten down because nobody can get down from this height without injuring themselves. Kyra would have been too weak to do much of anything so she needed to find a path down.

Keeping to her left, she notices a lower, flat area that would be easy to walk to. Following it down, she looks back towards the path and can see another flat rocky surface and a sloped rock walkway. It wasn't the largest of area to walk down, but it was better than the alternative. The jump down would have been a bit steeper, but still manageable. Kassandra, again, moves herself down lower and imagines the next moves. The issue became now that the ledge had come to a dead end.

Kassandra veers right and peers down over the ledge. The distance between her and the ground was far too much for anyone but the likes of her. She was so sure this was the path, it made the most sense! Irritated, Kassandra kicks a loose rock to the opposite side of the ledge and that's when she sees it. 

_A bloody handprint._

Moving swiftly to her left, Kassandra looks at the print and determines that it is relatively fresh, maybe only be a day or two old given the coloration. She follows the steep drop down, scanning for any other markings, when she sees a smudge towards the bottom. The drop was pretty great and either the person was injured before the descent or got scratched on their way down. She saw no body which meant that she was on the right path and that whoever's tracks she was following was still alive. Kyra or not, it would be someone who could tell her what happened and what they saw. She would find Kyra if it was the last thing she ever did.

Kassandra hops down the rest of the way and follows the path down until it forks. One path leads down to the shore while the other leads towards a place unknown along the mountain side. The blood had been mostly washed away by the rains as there was nothing to shield it like with the handprints so she would have to make a decision. The only reason someone would choose to be close to the water would be for a ship or something, but Kassandra couldn't see any hints of a dock.

She'll follow the mountain path and keep a passing eye towards the water to see if anything piques her attention further. Kyra knows how to survive and survival here meant shelter and shelter meant taking cover inland. The waters would be unpredictable and given the trauma they'd both experienced, being away from it seemed like the best course of action. Taking the path to her right, Kassandra heads for higher ground.

The fog around her starts to dissipate with the higher altitude, but she would be reminded that her luck was not favorable. The clouds above her rumble with the deep threat of thunder and the skies begin to pour a heavy and blinding rain in an instant. It takes her back to what felt like moments ago, when she was falling overboard. The panic she felt before rose up within her again, even knowing now that she was on solid ground. Her body tensed and the deep-seated pains within her came back to the surface. Her body was nowhere near being close to optimal, but she didn't have the luxury of time on her side. Her arm was still immobile and her stomach wound had barely sealed itself, she was in rough shape.

"Get it together." Kassandra chastises herself as the wetness begins to seep back into her heavily soiled garments. "Now is not the time, focus! I have to find her and I can't do that like this." 

Repressing her "flight" response, she trucks onwards and upwards to get a solid vantage point.

Kassandra wills herself higher, feeling the strain of her legs as she walks up the more steep inclines. The texture of the rocky surface was slick so she veered to the flatter part with the grass. It moved her a bit further away from having a clear line of sight to the coast, but it was needed. Kassandra didn't honestly believe Kyra would be near the water, but she had hoped to run into a local fisherman's village or some small town that could tell her where she was. Her only plan now was to keep to the high ground and scout out the area.

The wind picked up and the chill of the setting sun was making it very apparent that she needed to find some shelter for the night soon. The last thing she needed was to be caught without it if the gods decided to throw any more tantrums. The thought of abandoning her search for Kyra for the night did not sit well with her, but she would be no use to Kyra if she became ill and unable to move. She was barely strung together as it was, she didn't need to tempt fate any further. She would continue this path for a while longer in search of any signs of life before she resorted to finding a cave.

Every step Kassandra takes, the more she can feel the toll of her exhaustion. The fight earlier had all but depleted her of any strength or stamina. Perhaps it was just the stubbornness willing her forward, but she knew better. She'd done a lot of stupid things in her day, but none had quite the undertaking of her most recent debacle. Running forward, leaving Kyra behind felt like a good idea at the time, but the more time she had to think about it, the deeper the regrets. She had abandoned Kyra and left her to fend for herself, all in the name of protection. Even after Kyra had assured her that they were a team, she still thought the best move was to make it alone.

Her whole life she'd been alone and it was a hard habit to break. Her heart may have been in the right place, but it didn't change the fact that she made the wrong decision. She got so caught up in protecting Kyra that she failed to see how her leaving would harm her. They could have jumped into the waters together, but she had to run off to be a hero. Some hero she was.

Kassandra kept up the slow pace, her eyes wandering around for any sort of sign of life from anyone. It was getting darker and the wind was going against her, slowing her down even further. As she walks alone the heightened path, she spots something in the distance.

"Is that... smoke?" Kassandra squints to try to register what she's seeing. The plume of what appeared to be smoke billowed into the air around her and its distinct scent told her it was no brush fire. She caught the unmistakable whiff of meat being cooked over an open flame and it made her mouth water. She doesn't remember the last time she's had anything to eat and her stomach could feel it. Kassandra hears a loud rumble, but it doesn't come from her stomach nor the skies. The sound came from behind her and it was a sound she knew to be bad news.

A bear. 

Of _course_ it was a bear. What else could possibly go wrong that hasn't already?

Turning around slowly, Kassandra comes face to face with the beast as it stalks closer and closer to her. Putting out her left hand in front of her, she tries to bargain with it. "Nice bear. You don't wish to hurt me and I don't wish to hurt you. How about we just go our separate ways and pretend this never happened?"

The bear growls at her in return and snarls its teeth.

"I figured as much, but it was worth a shot." Kassandra talks to it before she grabs for her spear. "Guess it will have to be the hard way."

Kassandra wasn't prepared for this at all, in any manner, but she had no other option. She could try to outrun it, but she was nowhere near as nimble as she usually is. This was going to hurt, badly, but she didn't have a choice.

"YAHH!" Kassandra cries out as she lunges for the first blow, catching the bear on the front leg.

It wasn't deep enough to do much damage and, by the look the bear gave her, all she did was make it angrier.

The bear stands up tall on its hind legs and Kassandra had only once in her life felt so small. This bear was easily twice her size standing and it looked to be a bit on the plump size too, most probably a male. She has gone up against a few bears in her lifetime, each one nasty in their own respect, but it was an encounter she didn't wish to keep repeating. 

Looming above her with all its might, the bear looks down upon her and produces a primal roar so intense that its sprays its saliva all over her face and upper body.

"Gross." Kassandra wipes it away as she takes a few calculated steps backwards. It was slimy and the bears breath reeked of death, a scent she was familiar with. Blood always had a certain "air" about it, man or beast, and the smell was something she'd never forget. Having had enough of the intimidation, Kassandra steels herself for a brutal battle. 

The bear was not as agile as she was, but it was not by as great of a margin as she'd have hoped. Her footwork was clumsy and her reaction time was slowed. It made it almost impossible to land a hit that wasn't more than a scratch. Her biggest focus was to avoid being struck because that would almost certainly lead down a path she didn't wish to go. If only she had use of both of her hands! Her handicap was more evident now than it was when she was fighting the cultists, but humans fight differently than predators.

Humans rely on factors much greater than a beast such as this could understand, but that didn't make them smarter. Humans are reactive, too reactive, and that was usually all the opening one needed, but animals were different. They run off from instinct and desperation, two dangerous traits by themselves, but combined make them very, very deadly. They push beyond pain limits when humans would retreat. Predators fight until their very last breath because they don't know any better and that is what makes them in a class all their own.

Kassandra knew she wasn't doing enough damage and she didn't have the range of motion to do much about it. She couldn't cling to the beast and strike it at the same time and he was far too wide for her to use her legs to hold on. She would have to get under him and, for that, she'd be increasing her risk of death. She couldn't trust that she could do the damage she needed and not get killed in the process. Scanning her surroundings after every dodge, she begins to formulate a plan.

The idea was simple enough. All she'd have to do was lure the bear close enough to the ledge that it would fall off, nice and easy. Only issue was that she would have to be there on the ledge as bait and just pray that she was able to roll out of the way in time. It was reckless, stupid, foolish, stupid again, but she didn't see any other way out of this.

She needed the ledge to her back so she needed to swap places with this monstrosity. Only problem was that she couldn't just run around him or he'd smack her down. She would have to make a run for it the next time he stood. Kassandra waited for her opportunity as she dodged his massive paws and, once he stood up, she made a break for it.

She had miscalculated her proximity and was far too close to him as he came down. Having momentum on his side, his claws dug deep into Kassandra's left bicep, knocking her off balance, forcing her down and sending her tumbling down the slope in the hill. The tumble takes only a handful of seconds, but the damage was done as the only thing that stops her from smashing into the rocks was a tree.

The pain is the first thing she feels and it's not just from one location in particular, but her body as a whole. She hit the tree with her bad arm and her only "good arm" now had chunks of flesh missing from it as he had gotten her good. The wind was knocked out of her, but not so much that she couldn't see the bear running down the slope after her. Not wanting a second hit, she pushes herself off the tree until she hits the rocks, just missing another blow that would have been face level.

Her left arm stings fiercely and she can see the blood just slowly making its way down to her forearm as she works towards propping herself up. It was the only arm she had to use so pain or not, it needed to still work. She had to get back up and keep going, she was now in the position she wanted to be so she only needed to entice it.

Standing back up, using the rocks behind her as leverage, Kassandra works her way up on top of the flat surface courtesy of a smooth grass patch. Kassandra peers over the edge and she can see almost a full drop down from here to where there was a hut stationed in the distance. Taking a few steps forward towards the bear, Kassandra goes in for some taunting. 

"Come here, come get me you malaka." Kassandra goads him on as she walks her way back to the ledge edge as the bear stalks her. He is following her every move and that's precisely what she wanted. A fall from this height would kill or badly maim the beast, but it would be enough that she could take care of it for good. 

Not wasting any time, he lunges forward with no regard to his own safety. She moves quickly to her right in an attempt to dodge, but it was, unsurprisingly, not fast enough as he reacted to her movement just enough that his claw caught hold of her belt, taking her with him over the side. Kassandra had also not expected this, but her instinct to survive was much stronger than this beasts instinct to kill. Using the momentum of the fall, she turns herself so that she's facing the beasts front and she plunges her spear into his chest. 

The fall down was not a gentle one as there was a smaller ledge she didn't notice the first time that they hit, but she was not the one who took the brunt of the impact. The bear landed back first, driving her spear deep within his body. The force of the impact caused them both to roll over once until they fell the rest of the way down. The roll was _just_ long enough for her to be back on top for the final descent.

Her grip on her spear was as tight as she could make it so when the bears body crashed into its final resting place, Kassandra completely ripped open his chest cavity. With her spear still embedded deep within this beast, she tumbles backwards from the momentum and inadvertently pulls the bear along with her so it lands on top of her. Everything goes pitch black in an instant as she realizes that she's got this behemoth of an animal on top of her and that the only reason she's not being crushed to death right now is because she was mostly _inside_ it.

Kassandra tried to push her way free, but her hands were going places that no hand should ever involuntarily go. She feels something squishy and promptly releases it, wanting nothing to do with whatever organ that was. Her arm would do her no good here, she needed to use her legs and push her way out of this before she suffocated.

Wiggling her legs, she felt no restriction so she digs in her heels and uses her left arm to push whatever she could get traction from. Thinking she found a rib, something at least somewhat stable in this disaster, she pushes with all her might and, inch by inch, works her way free. The sweet gasp of fresh air was delectable, what was not so great was the stench she was radiating as she got her wits back about her. She was absolutely _covered_ in blood, mud, and a bunch of other things she'd rather not think about, but at least she was still breathing.

Wiping the sludgy mess from her eyes, she can see she's landed not too far from a hut. She did not know if anyone resided here, nor if they were friendly, so showing up drenched in blood was probably not the best greeting. She would stick to the tall bushes as cover until she got a better hold of who she was dealing with. There didn't seem to be anyone outside in such heavy rainfall, but she could get close enough to the hut to peer inside.

Kassandra crouches as best as she could and moves up to the straw like material. The strands were almost interwoven, but with a nudge and some effort, she was able to make a small hole to peer into. She couldn't see anything as she just so happened to pick a spot where there was an object blocking her, but the opening did allow her to eavesdrop a bit easier. She was well secluded so unless someone stumbles upon her by accident, she'll be able to figure out something. She even got a small reprieve from the rain as she was able to lay so that her body fit under the overlay of the roof.

The hut she had chosen seemed to be occupied by two women by the sounds of it. At first, the conversation was minimal, just some local gossip she assumes. Kassandra hadn't heard of anything interesting or worth noting the entire time she'd been here and found it hard to stay awake. After all the energy she used earlier sleep was something she craved deeply. She tried to stay awake, but found herself nodding off. 

A heavy stomp woke her, causing her to panic for just a moment until she realized it came from inside. A third voice had joined in sometime during her brief nap.

"-ing to do? They will surely retaliate for what you did!" The new voice argues with one of the girls who's been inside since she got here.

"It's been almost two whole days, Helen. If they were going to retaliate, they'd have done so by now."

"What you were doing up in those ruins is beyond me. Foolish girl. You have something to do, don't forget. You know it won't go well if you lie about this."

"I don't see what the big deal is."

"I'm just the messenger. Don't mess this up or it will be all our hides."

Ruins? Retaliation? Could they have Kyra? Any tiredness she still had disappeared at the thought of Kyra being so close. It was very vague, their conversation, but it could have to do with what she saw back up at the ruins. The hole in the fabric, the bloody handprint, it could be Kyra!

Kassandra couldn't sit idly by anymore knowing that in any one of these huts, Kyra could be there. She would still need to be careful and keep to the shrubbery, but she would look in each on of these huts until she found who she was looking for. There were homes to her left and right so she needed to pick a direction and stick with it.

"Right. I'll go right." Kassandra decides on a whim and goes in search of Kyra.

She's not sure how many huts there are, but what she does know is that the first three she's checked since the original wasn't what she was looking for. Each hut she peered into was a home of some kind and she would be looking for their healing area. Kyra would be malnourished and frail and would need help and the more important positions (healing, food supplies, and the treasury, etc) tended to be towards the center for additional protection.

Moving onto her fourth hut, Kassandra feels more exposed than ever. It was very close to the center area and she could hear people talking inside, but she couldn't get close enough to get a good look. She had no cover so the only way she'd know what was inside was to just barge right in. It wasn't what she wanted to do so she'd wait a moment or two like she always did before she moved on.

"-ot much better. Poor woman, I feel so bad for her."

"There's nothing else we can do, not until she wakes up. Might as well head home for the night and try again tomorrow."

Kassandra stays crouched as the two people she heard speaking inside pass by her. Taking the opportunity, Kassandra quickly stows away inside, taking care to not knock anything over in her haste.

That's when she sees her.

"Kyra."

Kyra lay fast asleep on a mat on the ground. Her body is covered with wraps, some in need of changing due to the dark crimson color compared to the light tan of the cloth. Kassandra stares at her in awe as she watches her chest rise and fall.

She's _breathing_.

A wave of relief washes over her and she drops to her knees in front of Kyra. She had done it. She had found Kyra and she was still alive by the grace of the gods. Kassandra didn't even bother to stop the few tears that fell, having never been happier to see her in her life.

"Kyra, love, it's me. It's Kassandra. I need you to wake up." Kassandra whispers sweetly as she gently nudges Kyra awake. "Kyra, hey, I need you to wake up."

"Hmm?" Kyra hums out, her eyes still closed.

"Kyra, hey, it's me, Kassandra. Open your eyes for me, love."

"Kassandra? Kassandra." Kyra repeats her name a couple times until her eyes shoot wide open and she bolts upright.

Kassandra doesn't bother to hide her smile as Kyra looks directly at her. Her heart feeling the sense of peace for the first time in a long time. "I'm so glad you're ok, I've been looking for you."

Kyra doesn't respond to her, instead she just stares at her like she's seen a ghost. Kassandra's smile fades quickly as she sees the fear creep into Kyra's face.

"Hey, hey, it's me. I'm right here. I found you." 

"No! You're not real! Go away!" Kyra screams at her as she recoils away, being loud enough to cause a commotion if they weren't careful. Kyra would be drawing attention to the both of them if anyone else happened to be near by so she needed to calm her down.

"Kyra, please, keep your voice down or they'll hear us." Kassandra begs in a hushed whisper, hoping to calm Kyra down. "I am alive and I've been looking for you."

"You're covered in blood... I saw you die! You're just my imagination punishing me." Kyra sobs so brokenly that Kassandra's heart aches.

Kassandra had completely forgotten she was covered in the blood from the bear she had killed. It hadn't even crossed her mind that she looked like one of the horrors Kyra had told her about from her nightmares. She must look quite the fright for Kyra to react so poorly.

"My love, I didn't die!" Well, _technically_ she probably did, but now was not the time for that discussion. "I don't know how I did it, but I survived both getting stabbed and getting kicked over the ship into the water. I washed up on a shore a couple days ago and I've been tracking you ever since I regained consciousness."

"Why do you look like that then?" Kyra asks with fear resonating every syllable. "You being in the water would have washed the blood off you, but you're so covered in it that I could hardly tell who you were."

"I fought a bear."

"A... bear?" Kyra draws out with skepticism.

"Yes. Not too long ago I'd say by this point. I was looking for you and I was so focused on finding you that I didn't notice one had made its way behind me. I had no choice but to fight it so this is both my blood and his."

Kyra looks at her in disbelief still, Kassandra would have to do better. Even if she knew it was the truth, it sounded so outlandish that she's not surprised Kyra didn't just believe her right away. It sounded like poor justification for being a bloody mess, but she didn't come all this way to lose her again.

"I know this sounds utterly ridiculous, but I have no reason to lie to you. If I was a figment of your imagination, why would I waste time on such a tale? Look!" Kassandra holds out her left arm with the gashes. "You know I didn't have this before. I am _real_ Kyra and I'm right here."

Kassandra is praying that Kyra can see her reasoning as sound, but she's weary that Kyra is not well enough to do so.

"To fool me like you've done before, you can do just about anything when you're not real. Because you know I want to trust you and you want to abuse that."

"I'd _never_ want to abuse that again, Kyra. I made the biggest mistake of my life by not telling you the truth about Thaletas and by leaving you alone on that ship. I cannot imagine the horrors you had to go through to get here, but you _are_ and so am I."

"I- I don't know..."

Please, by the gods! What else could she do to prove it? It was her word Kyra had to trust and that was shaky at best as of this moment.   
She'd need to do something drastic, something so unsuspecting that Kyra would just have to believe her. If Kyra was afraid of her, she needed to give her all the power.

Grabbing a nearby scalpel, she places the handle of it into Kyra's hand, clasping her own on top of hers to keep it locked into place.

"What are you doing?!" Kyra's words sound panicked as Kassandra adjusts herself so that the tip of the scalpel is pressed against her heart.

Kassandra looks Kyra dead in the eyes, showing nothing but blind faith. "If you don't think I am real, kill me. I have nothing else to live for if I do not have you. So please, if you do not think I am real, kill me now because I refuse to go on without you."

"Are you mad?! I can't do that!" Kyra tries to jerk her hands away, but Kassandra's grip was too tight.

"You must." Kassandra keeps her voice firm as the scalpel presses a bit deeper into her skin. "You can end this all right now if you don't believe me. Just remember that I love you and that I will always love you. None of this is your fault."

"But-, I can't... I don't..." Kyra battles with herself and Kassandra can only look on at her internal conflict. She doesn't wish to die here, not in the slightest, but she has faith that Kyra will make the right decision. 

She has to.

"You have suffered enough because of me so if I am the one that plagues your mind, won't you be better off to just finish it now? I don't want to be the source of your fear, I never have. There is no part of me that wants you to be afraid of who I am so, please, end this if you desire it so."

Kassandra closed her eyes as she felt the tip piercing her skin as Kyra pushed it a bit deeper. Her heart was exposed, no armor to protect it, and she knew far too well the feel of punctured flesh. She also knew that she was bleeding quite freely at this point, but with how covered she was by various blood and lingering reminders of the elements, it was probably indiscernible. The scalpel was not in deep, but she knew where this could inevitably be going. Kyra could actually kill her right now and not even realize it. A moment of doubt shrouded her blind faith.

Kassandra's breath hitches in fear as the tip deepens, allowing an audible gasp to escape her mouth. She had intended to put on a strong front for Kyra, but the longer she felt the pressure of the more nervous she became. How cruel would be the fates if they allowed her to come back only to die a mere moment later. This was, by far, one of her dumbest ideas ever.

Kassandra squeezes her eyes tighter for the inevitable, but the scalpel doesn't go any further into her heart. In fact, it does quite the opposite. Kassandra can feel the sting of the new incision, but that's about it. Cracking open an eye, she sees Kyra's resolve breaking until she breaks down into a sob.

Kassandra releases her grip on Kyra who, in turn, releases the scalpel. It clatters to the ground beneath them. All she cares about now is Kyra and that she had made the right choice.

Kyra drops to her knees and Kassandra is quick to follow suit. She doesn't want to cause her discomfort by holding her, but she needs to at least touch her to show her that she's here. Taking one of Kyra's hand in her own, Kassandra gives it a firm squeeze. "It's ok, you're safe now. I've got you."

Kyra doesn't say anything, but she gives a squeeze back to Kassandra and that was enough for now. In the flurry of events that transpired before, Kassandra wasn't sure if they were amongst friends or foes so it was best to not linger any longer than necessary.

"Kyra, are you alright to walk? We should get out of here before we're spotted."

This gets Kyra's attention as her tears stop and her breathing becomes less ragged. "Spotted? What are you talking about? Are you being chased?"

"No, at least I don't think so, but we are in a stranger's encampment right now and I don't want to push our luck. We can head further inland and take our chances." Kassandra can't quite explain it, but just being here, in this place, left her with a bad feeling. Her instincts were almost never wrong so she was not about to disobey them now.

"They're not going to hurt you here." Kyra's voice the most assuring she's heard it in a long time. "Eliana was the one that saved me from the cult. She took me back here and has treated my wounds, fed me, and gave me shelter. She has been nothing but kind to me. I will not leave her without showing my gratitude, it is the least I can do."

Kassandra struggles with herself for a moment, but she knew she'd have to stay. She was not leaving without Kyra and Kyra wasn't leaving without speaking with Eliana. If this woman had saved Kyra from the cult, she owed her a deep debt of gratitude as well for doing what she could not.

"Fine, we shall go and speak to her." Kassandra relents after mulling it over for that brief moment. "Do you know where she is?"

"No, but she checks in on me every day so she's bound to show up soon."

"She may have already done that. Two others were in here before me so maybe one of them was her?"

"I don't know, I just have to find her. I can't just leave."

Kassandra can tell that Kyra is working herself up again, she can hear the panic in her voice. How her strong willed rebel had turned into a woman with such fear, it broke her heart. This Kyra wasn't the woman she knew, but she was still the woman she loved. Kassandra would do everything in her power to help Kyra heal in the same way she had helped her. Kyra saw the light inside of her when she faced the darkness of her own mind and Kassandra would repay the favor.

"We'll find her, I promise. Just take a deep breath for me now."

Kassandra mimics the motion of a slow inhale/exhale and Kyra (after the second attempt) joins in. They repeat the motion a few more times until Kassandra is satisfied with the results. "Good, very good."

Kassandra brushes a stray stand of hair out of Kyra's face and tucks it behind her ear, a tender moment she used to take for granted. How many small showings of love had she missed out on because she was too stubborn or afraid? How many times had Kyra done this for her only for her to not see how much love and compassion went into the gesture? 

It makes her so angry that it took something as extreme as this to make her see just what she had. That what it took to really register the immensity of her love for Kyra was seeing her at her absolute worst. She had never seen Kyra hit this kind of rock bottom before and she was mad at herself for being the cause. The cult was _her_ problem and she had brought this to Kyra by inviting herself into her life. She should have just left it alone, to spare her this kind of pain. She cannot change the past, as much as she may wish to, so all she can do now is be here for Kyra however she needs.

"Let's go find Eliana and we can go back home. How does that sound?"

Kyra just gives her a nod and keeps hold of Kassandra's hand as she helps her up from the floor.

"Why don't you go out first? They know you so it wouldn't be suspicious and you can just let me know if the coast is clear or not. Are you good with that?" 

Kassandra doesn't want to put her in a compromising situation, but she had no way of checking if the coast was clear without exposing herself. If Kyra trusted this woman, she would have to too.

"Yes, I can do that."

Kassandra doesn't want to let her out of her sight for even a second, afraid of losing her again, but she knows it is irrational. She can't help it, but she cannot smother Kyra so she needs to treat her like she's her own person and not someone who needs to be coddled.

"I'll be right here. If you need me, all you have to do is say my name and I'll be right behind you. I've got you." Kassandra isn't sure if the words of support is more for herself than Kyra, but she feels better having put it out there.

She waits as Kyra removes the flap and let's it fall behind her, but not even a second after Kyra exited, she hears Kyra's voice.

"Uhhhh, I think we have a very big problem."

Alarms ring out in Kassandra's mind as to what could have gone so wrong so fast, but she wouldn't hesitate for Kyra, never again. Rushing out of the hut, Kassandra hits the back of Kyra who seems to have barely moved at all. Confusion as to what was going on slowly turns into one of recognition once she sees that they're both surrounded by very, very angry people with weapons drawn.

Any remaining light had faded for the night and there were scattered torches lit, but the majority had been extinguished by the elements. Most of the people were covered in a cloak of some sort due to the heavy rainfall, making her think it was the cult at first, but it became very apparent that she was wrong. The way they held themselves, the way they stood strong, it was nothing the cult could ever hope to achieve.

Kassandra makes a quick move to place herself in front of Kyra and reaches for her spear, but she doesn't have it. A split second of panic hits her hard. "Shit!" She thinks, she must have left it in the bear after she got free. It never even crossed her mind until now and she would have to face the consequences for her absent mindedness earlier.

The group parts at the center and another hooded figure walks towards the both of them, Kassandra's spear glints from the moonlight, held tightly in their hands.

"Missing something, _Eagle Bearer_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH! A MYSTERIOUS CLIFFHANGER!!! What a ride, too! 37 chapters and over 300 THOUSAND WORDS. That's crazy! What an absolute pleasure this has been and I appreciate everyone who's followed their journey with me and a big thanks to everyone who took the time to comment. It means more to me than you'll ever know. Kassandra and Kyra's story is not over, not by a long shot as there will be a sequel in the near future! I hope this story kept you engaged and kept you on your toes. I am forever grateful for your support and I can't wait for you to see what I've got planned next.
> 
> Until next time 😎  
> 🧡💛💚💜💙


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